Unforgiven
by Sindie11
Summary: This fanfic takes place after the Return of Jafar. There was a time period between the end of this movie and the TV series, so this story develops the difficult friendship between Iago and the others, especially Aladdin. Iago isn't ready to accept his new life, and when Aladdin says that they are going to move out of the palace and into his hovel, things get messy. Written in 2002.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This isn't a new story. This was originally written in 2002 by my friend Catie and me. I recently rediscovered it, and realizing that it was a pretty good story, I'm publishing it again.

Also, if you're interested in reading NEW Aladdin fics by me, I've written two one-shots that feature Iago and Cassim. They're posted under my other profile here: Sindie. They're called A Shadow of Doubt to Every Light of Faith and Good, But Not Too Good, written in March 2015.

~Catie and Sindie Present an Original Aladdin  
Fanfic~

~Unforgiven~

_To everyone outside,  
All they see is his hard shell.  
Very rarely does he let them inside  
To see just how beautiful  
His hidden heart of gold truly is.  
The darkness all around him  
Covers the warm glow from within,  
And to his own dismay,  
He has dealt with this burden  
His entire life.  
Never taught as a child  
The meaning of love,  
He now runs from it,  
Always feeling at odds with the world  
And with himself,  
Feeling incomplete and constantly running  
Toward an unseen goal,  
Living life as if it were a race.  
If he dare slow down or even stop,  
What monster would grab hold of him?  
Afraid to trust, to let anyone too close,  
For the last time he did so,  
His heart was nearly ripped out.  
Yet there it continues to beat,  
And still he goes on breathing,  
Awakening every morning,  
And taking yet another step.  
Now perhaps in this striving  
To keep on living,  
He has already triumphed  
Over many monsters.  
Though the load is not light,  
The path is unclear,  
The light is dim,  
He endures and somewhere  
Someone see just how beautiful that makes him.  
For the first time in years,  
He hesitates over the choice  
To open just the tiniest door to another.  
He is reluctant to trust,  
But perhaps against his better judgment,  
He reveals one fragment of his broken heart  
To this other, this stranger of sorts.  
Time rolls on,  
And the most wonderful surprise happens:  
Those broken pieces, though slowly revealed,  
Start to form a whole heart.  
To solve this puzzle takes many ingredients:  
Commenced with trust,  
Continued with understanding,  
Brought together by caring,  
And above all,  
Completed by love.  
Now he has truly won.  
__(Won, by Sindie)_

Chapter One

The lamp had been destroyed and along with it, the horrible genie who  
lived in it for a very short time. Yesterday seemed like it was ages ago,  
the nightmare of years past. The sun rose that morning just as it had  
every day since the dawning of time, but this day was the beginning of the  
adventures they would live together for the following few years. Little  
did any of them know what would lie ahead, but this much was for sure:  
They would face anything together, for it is only together that friends  
triumph over evil. Separate, they are just as good as a lost ship at sea.

Aladdin was the first to awaken that fine day. He looked around at his  
surroundings, not quite sure what to make of them. Not so long ago, Sultan  
had announced his plans to make Aladdin the new royal vizier, but Aladdin  
kindly declined the offer. The young man had other ambitions he wanted in  
life before settling down. So much had happened in such a short period of  
time. Just days ago, he was living all alone on the streets with only one  
friend in the world, Abu. Now, here he was, dating the princess and had a  
genie for a best friend. Life certainly had its way of surprising people;  
that was for sure.

The elegant palace room was almost too much for Aladdin to handle. He  
swallowed hard and nervously as he stood up from the bed, and turning  
toward the balcony, he looked outside over the city. The view was very  
different now, and he could only imagine what it would be like in the  
future when he would be Sultan. Aladdin placed his clammy hands on the  
railing of the balcony and leaned slightly forward, taking in the  
wonderful view before him. The streets were just beginning to fill with  
people as they awakened that day, and he could hear the faint cries of the  
merchants selling their goods.

Despite his captivation with the scene before him, Aladdin sighed and  
turned away, remembering that there were new matters to attend to. He  
smiled as he recalled how beautiful Jasmine's smile looked first thing in  
the morning, and so, keeping that thought in mind, he quickly dressed and  
exited his room. He didn't want to be late for breakfast, after all. His  
princess would be there, and that made living in a strange, new place all  
the worthwhile.

Once Aladdin reached the dining hall, he slowly, almost cautiously,  
pushed the door open. The doorknob clicked suddenly, sending a rather loud  
echo through the walls on either side of the entrance. He peeked into the  
room and found it empty and dark, so he figured it would be best to simply  
wait for the others. After a few minutes, Genie came bouncing into the  
room with Abu perched on his right shoulder. Carpet was right behind them.

"Good morning, Al, little buddy!" Genie cheerfully exclaimed. "How are  
ya doin' today?"

Aladdin smiled at his energetic friend and chuckled, "I'm good, Genie.  
How are you?"

"I'm no other way than great!" the big, blue lug mused. "I wonder what  
we're a-havin' for breakfast. You know, Al, breakfast is the most  
important meal of the day."

"Thanks, Genie," Aladdin replied, still thinking about his princess.

Just at that moment, Jasmine strolled into the room, followed shortly  
by her father. Sultan joyously greeted everyone at the table and took his  
seat at the head of the table. The meal began without any hesitation, but  
about halfway through breakfast, Jasmine noticed that someone was missing.  
She glanced over at Aladdin and gave him a strange look.

"What?" Aladdin asked dumbfoundedly. "Do I have something on my shirt?"

"No," Jasmine whispered. "Isn't someone missing? You know, a little  
someone."

"Oh, you're right," Aladdin responded. "Uh, I'll go see what's holding  
him up."

Aladdin excused himself as he stood up, and he left the dining hall and  
proceeded to the room where a certain someone was staying. Aladdin came to  
the door and stopped, unsure of what to do next. He felt almost like he  
was intruding, but he knew that since everyone else was awake, it was time  
for this little guy to be awake as well. Aladdin cleared his throat and  
knocked lightly on the door, but there was no answer.

"Darn it," Aladdin muttered. "Don't tell me he's a heavy sleeper."

Aladdin knocked again, only a little harder this time. When there was  
still no answer, Aladdin opened the door and began going in. When he  
arrived at the bed, he could see the little bird sleeping soundly on a  
pillow. _He looked like he's really out of it,_ thought Aladdin.  
_Maybe I should just let him sleep._

Aladdin thought it would be best to just leave his new friend alone,  
but he also knew that he was supposed to be keeping an eye on him. Aladdin  
sighed heavily and gently tapped him on the bird's beak. In a quick  
moment, his eyes jolted open, and he screamed, "Do you mind?! I was in the  
middle of a dream!"

"Oh, sorry," Aladdin apologized. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Well, it's too late for that now, isn't it?" the bird shot back.

"Iago," Aladdin sighed, "what's wrong? Why are you acting so cranky?"

"Hello, earth to Aladdin!" Iago yelled. "In case ya didn't know, this  
is HOW AND WHO I AM! You'd best just get used to it!"

"Iago, don't yell at me. Please, spare me your short temper today.  
Look, I know you've had it rough these last few days, but you've gotta get  
over it. Jafar's gone now, okay?"

"Um, duh, I know that. I'm the guy who destroyed him, remember?"

"I can't take this attitude of yours," Aladdin said, trying to control  
his own temper. "I thought you were gonna be one of the good guys."

"But I am!" Iago protested. "What more do you expect out of me? I got  
rid of that stinkin' Jafar once and for all. Isn't that good enough for  
you goody-two shoes? Or am I not yet qualified to wear the Badge of  
Honor?"

"What?" Aladdin asked, puzzled at Iago's sarcasm and rudeness. "Of  
course you've proven yourself able to do good, but come on, there are a  
lot more trials ahead. You can't just act like doing one good deed is  
going to make you a straight up good guy."

"Funny," Iago muttered. "You used to be a thief, and you're trying to  
tell me how to live my life?"

"I'm not proud of the fact that I used to steal. My life wasn't easy."

"What makes you think mine was? Aladdin, you really don't know me very  
well. You don't know what I've been through, so why don't you just give it  
up?"

"Is there something you want to talk about?" Aladdin asked, hoping to  
calm the parrot down.

"The only thing I wanna know," squawked Iago, "is what you're doing in  
here. Well?"

"I just came here to tell you that it's breakfast time."

"Oh, breakfast!" Iago exclaimed, finally sounding a little pleased.  
"I'm starving!"

Iago stood up from the pillow and stretched. His brightly colored red  
and blue wings spread, and he took off in flight toward the door. Aladdin  
quickly moved out of the way to avoid being smashed in the face by the  
hungry bird. _Well, at least he seems happier now,_ thought Aladdin,  
shaking his head in dismay.

Aladdin came to the breakfast table moments later to find Iago eating  
from a pile of fruit that was on the table. His manners certainly left  
something to be desired. Jasmine wondered if Iago was ever going to stop  
eating like he was dying of starvation. She never really had eaten with  
the bird before, for when Iago was with Jafar all the time, they ate alone  
most of the time.

"Hey, Birdman!" Genie exclaimed. "Are you gonna leave a little for the  
rest of us?"

"Huh?" Iago asked dumbly. "What? You didn't get enough? You were here  
already, so that means that what's leftover is mine."

"No!" Abu squeaked, coming toward Iago and grabbing an apple away from  
him. "Mine."

"You didn't just take that apple from me, did you, Monkey?" Iago  
questioned with growing anger in his voice. "That's my apple! Give it  
back!"

Abu stuck his tongue out, making a raspberry sound and ran away from  
the bird. Iago started to chase after Abu, but Jasmine placed her hand in  
the way to prevent Iago from going any further.

"Ahem," she said. "I think you've had enough food for one meal."

Iago looked at the princess and was about to protest, but when he  
noticed that everyone was giving him disapproving looks, he didn't say  
anything. He sighed in annoyance and flew away from the table.

"That could have gone better," Aladdin sighed. "I'm sorry, guys..."

"It's not your fault, Aladdin," Jasmine softly replied. "It would seem  
that Iago has a lot to learn about table manners."

"Heh, among other things," the sultan added. "That bird is causing more  
trouble than it's worth keeping him around."

"Oh, Sultan," Aladdin replied. "I know he didn't mean it like that. I  
told you I would look out for him, and well, I guess I just got to do a  
better job."

"I don't think you're doing anything wrong, my boy," Sultan explained.  
"You've been doing a fine job. It's that bird who needs to learn a few  
things."

Genie looked at the humans sadly and shrugged his shoulders. He didn't  
know what to say, so he just disappeared into his lamp. Aladdin stood up  
from the table and excused himself. When he was in the hallway, he could  
hear footsteps behind him. Turning around, he noticed Jasmine right there.

"You're a great person, Aladdin, and even though I haven't known you  
that long or very well, I know that you are a good person inside, despite  
what you went through in your past. It's hard for me to accept, and it's  
just as hard for me to admit, but I think that same thing is true about  
Iago. Somewhere inside that little bird is a good bird, but I think he's  
hiding a lot of things, Aladdin."

"You're right, Jasmine, and I'm not about to give up on him. I know he  
is good, and we've seen just a glimpse of his ability to do good. I wonder  
what else he's hiding."

"Just remember, Aladdin, there is good in him, but because of his past  
with Jafar, there's also a lot of bad in him, a lot of things that confuse  
him."

Aladdin tried to smile, and the smile finally broke loose on his face.  
Jasmine took his hand, and together, they walked down the hallway and out  
into the menagerie. The gardens were splendid and gorgeous. The lush  
plants that grew there were such a contrast to the dry, arid sands of the  
desert that surrounded them. They took a seat near the fountain and looked  
at the sky, which was a bright blue. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and  
the sun shone brightly as ever.

To their surprise, they noticed a movement within the flowers nearby.  
Curious, Jasmine went to the flower bed and pushed the roses aside to find  
Iago hiding there.

"Iago?" she asked.

"Um, hi, Princess," he replied, trying to act innocent.

"What are you doing?"

"Just thinking."

"Oh? About what?"

"Things."

"Um, okay...Do you want to come out of there?"

"I guess so."

Iago came out of the flower bed and stood in front of Jasmine, not  
wanting to look her in the eyes. Suddenly, she felt bad for him, so she  
picked him up gently and brought him over to where Aladdin was sitting.  
Iago didn't say anything, which was a strange contrast to the way he had  
been acting earlier. He was quiet, almost too quiet.

"What are you thinking about, Iago?" Aladdin pressed.

"I- I was just, um, thinking about...it's nothing."

"I have a feeling that's not true," Jasmine replied. "Don't be keeping  
secrets."

The parrot sighed long and hard. "Fine," he muttered. "I was just  
thinking how pretty it is out here. You know, I never got to sit outside  
in the menagerie before. I know I've lived in the palace for a while now,  
but now everything looks and feels different...strange almost. I don't know  
why."

"I think," Jasmine smiled, "it's because you're seeing the world  
through a new set of eyes."

That last statement confused Iago, causing a look of being puzzled to  
appear on his face.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean, a lot has changed for you in the past couple of days. The  
gardens have always been here and have brought forth lovely flowers for  
years; you just didn't notice."

"Uh, yeah...okay, Princess, don't be waxing poetic on me here. I know a  
lot of stuff has happened; I'm not stupid, ya know."

Jasmine felt caught off-guard and completely unprepared for a reaction  
like that. A part of her wanted to reprimand Iago for being so blunt and  
rude, but it would have been against her better judgment. Aladdin stepped  
in instead.

"No one is saying you're stupid, Iago," he tried calmly to explain.  
"It's okay to be confused, but you'll see that you'll feel better in  
time."

"Look, I don't need your psycho-analysis of how I'm supposed to be  
feeling. If you had gone through what I have, then maybe, just maybe, that  
would give you the right to judge me."

"What?!" Aladdin exclaimed in anger, standing up. "Iago, you're not the  
only one who's had it rough. If you think for one moment that I should  
feel sorry for you, you're wrong."

Iago didn't know how to react. Before anyone could say anything,  
Aladdin firmly grapped Jasmine's hand and stated, "Come on, Jasmine, we're  
leaving."

Together, Aladdin and Jasmine walked quickly out of the garden, leaving  
Iago all by his lonesome self. He was seated on the ledge that overlooked  
the fountain, and as he peered over the edge and into the water, he could  
see his reflection. The water wasn't still, though, so his image in the  
water appeared distorted, almost unrecognizable, much the way he felt at  
that moment about himself. He felt like he didn't even know who he was  
anymore, and who he was trying to be to his new friends wasn't what they  
were seeing him as. This frustrated Iago all the more. He did want to be  
accepted, but he certainly didn't feel that way. Even he knew that things  
don't change that quickly in life.

Many memories played through his mind just then, ones involving his  
time with Jafar. At first, he feared the wizard and wanted nothing to do  
with him, but in time, however, Jafar had brainwashed him into thinking  
that life was simply about doing what was best for oneself, even if that  
meant hurting people. Jafar was a horrible curse of a man, and Iago was  
ashamed for having ever associated with him. Another part of him wondered  
if he should associate with Aladdin and the others, though. Iago knew he  
wasn't a good guy, not exactly. He knew that a big part of him had only  
destroyed Jafar, because Iago himself was afraid of Jafar hurting him  
again. Those types of motives were reflective of the ones Iago had always  
been used to portraying in his life...meaning, what was in it for him? How  
would he benefit from this?

Iago had had enough of Jafar having control of his life, so he wanted  
out, but only for himself. He didn't think he would have to care or worry  
about anyone else, but then something happened...Aladdin showed Iago that  
he did care about him, even though Iago probably didn't deserve it. Iago  
was still confused by this. Why would Aladdin befriend someone like Iago,  
someone whose intentions were obviously slanted away from goodness and  
toward evil? Iago didn't understand that there were people who just did  
what was right for the sake that it was the right thing to do.

Because Iago felt this confusion, he approached Aladdin and the others  
with apprehension, not quite sure how he was supposed to act around them,  
for he had never really entrusted his true feelings to anyone in life.  
Feelings were a weakness that led to one's downfall, according to Jafar,  
so Iago was basically forced to hide them and act as if he didn't care  
about anything or anyone...not even himself, really. There was a really  
strong feeling of fear inside the bird, not because of his past, but more  
because of his future. He didn't know how to face the others. They, he  
knew, were different than he was.

_If only I could tell them how I really feel,_ Iago thought.  
_Would they understand? Can I really trust them? No, I can't...I can't__  
even trust myself to say things in a way that they would understand. What__  
could they possibly know about being evil, about how it hurts to know that__  
I was pulled into that way of thinking? No, I won't...I won't trust...I__  
can't...and I don't want to._

He stopped thinking for a brief moment and glared at his reflection in  
the water. Taking his left wing, he angrily slapped the water, causing it  
to distort his image even more. Likewise, the more angry he became, the  
more he was confused and the more he didn't know who he really was. Iago's  
own anger and confusion caused a vicious cycle to turn in his mind, one  
that prevented him from seeing any hope in himself, and for that very  
reason, he started to cry bitter, frustrated tears.

Back in the palace, Aladdin and Jasmine were sitting in her bed  
chambers, discussing some of the matters that were bothering them. Aladdin  
looked especially uneasy, for he didn't want Jasmine to take offense to  
anything he was suggesting.

"I'm just saying, Jasmine, that I think it would be better this way,"  
Aladdin explained.

"I know, I know, Aladdin," she replied, sounding a bit annoyed and  
disappointed. "It's not that you shouldn't have the right to choose where  
you want to live, but I was just hoping that you would want to stay in the  
palace."

"Hoping?" Aladdin muttered. "Oh, Jasmine, it's not that I don't  
appreciate everything you and your father have done for me and the others;  
it's just that I don't feel ready to live here yet. I think the guys would  
be fine with living back at my hovel. I already mentioned something to  
Genie about it, and he didn't seem to have a problem with it. Abu is used  
to it already, and well, Carpet shouldn't be a problem either."

"Well, what about Iago? Aladdin, I'm not so sure he's going to take  
kindly to living in the hovel with you guys."

"Hmph, Iago," Aladdin mumbled, thinking about how rash the parrot had  
been acting that day. "I don't care if he approves or not; it's not up to  
him to decide. He should count himself lucky to be alive."

"Well, it's your call, Aladdin. Just think about it before you decide  
to do anything too sudden."

"I will," Aladdin reassured his princess, taking her hands and  
squeezing them gently and lovingly. "I'll see you later."

Aladdin returned to his own room and lay down on the bed to think. He  
sunk deep into the cushions, feeling quite comfortable and wondering if he  
really wanted to give this up to live in that hovel he had wanted to  
escape from for so long. Ever since his mother had died there years ago,  
there was a lingering sadness about the place. At night, when everyone  
else would be asleep, Aladdin would often stay awake and look out the  
large opening in the wall near his sleeping area. The city would rest  
still beneath him, and he almost felt like a lonesome guardian watching  
over the city to make sure nothing went wrong, but who was watching over  
him? The cool night wind would blow chilling currents down his spine,  
startling him and making him sad at the same time. Sometimes his ears  
would pick up the slightest hint of a distant, faint lullaby in the  
air...the lullaby of his mother.

Aladdin shook his head, trying to clear his mind of those depressing  
thoughts. He wouldn't be alone now, though. He would have friends to keep  
him company, and he hoped and prayed that Iago especially would  
understand. The last thing Aladdin wanted was more friction between  
himself and the parrot, and he really wanted to be friends with the bird;  
he just didn't know how to approach him. It seemed like every possible way  
he tried to talk to him, Iago just became angry and rejected Aladdin's  
attempt at getting to know him better.

_I wonder what he's up to,_ Aladdin thought, remembering how they  
had left him alone in the menagerie. Aladdin stood up from the bed and  
walked to the door, the thought being to go back to the garden and see if  
Iago was still outside by himself. Aladdin walked slowly down the long  
corridor, not wanting to feel there was a reason to be rushed. When he  
came to the menagerie, he was actually shocked to find Iago still there,  
sitting in the very spot where Aladdin and Jasmine had left him.

As Aladdin came closer to the bird's form, though, he could clearly see  
that Iago was asleep. Aladdin quietly sat down next to the parrot and took  
in the view that was before him. He noticed that there were the remains of  
what looked like tears beneath Iago's closed eyes, and this both startled  
and saddened Aladdin.

_If only he would tell me what's going through his mind_, Aladdin  
wondered.

Aladdin wasn't sure it was a good idea, but he gently touched Iago on  
the back, almost in the way someone places his hand on another to give  
that person the feeling of reassurance, saying, "I'm here if you need me."

Iago didn't react to the touch at first, but he found himself slowly  
drifting out of a dream and back into reality. Iago felt the presence of  
something warm and loving touching him, but he didn't know what it was or  
how to react to it. He opened his eyes and was surprised to see Aladdin  
sitting next to him.

"Al, what are you doing here?" he questioned, still waking up.

"I wanted to see how you were doing. Are you okay, Iago?"

Iago remained silent for a moment and then swallowed. Should he dare  
tell Aladdin the thoughts that had been racing through his mind earlier?  
_No,_ he told himself. _Don't do it. You'll only regret it."_

"Um, I'm fine," Iago lied, sitting up and not saying anything about  
Aladdin touching him. "I was just tired."

"Are you sure?" Aladdin pressed.

"Geez, you don't give up, do you?" Iago questioned, sounded a little  
annoyed. "Look, Aladdin, let me make one thing clear to you. If and when I  
want to tell you something, I will, okay? Until then, kindly don't ask me  
these kinds of questions."

Aladdin only nodded and looked away. He then remembered his discussion  
with Jasmine about moving out of the palace and back to the hovel.

"Iago, there's something I need to tell you."

"Well, what is it?"

"Tomorrow I'm moving back into my hovel, and you, Genie, Abu, and  
Carpet are coming with me."

Iago was completely taken aback. "So, is that why you can here? To tell  
me that I can't live in the palace? You didn't come here to see how I was  
doing; you came here only to break the bad news to me. I'm no fool,  
Aladdin. I see right through your lies. Just go ahead, tell me the truth!  
You don't want _me_ to live in the palace!"

"What?" Aladdin stammered. "But, Iago, that's not true. I don't want to  
live in the palace; I'm not ready yet. I really did come here to see if  
you were fine, and that's the truth."

"Oh, please! You expect me to believe you? You, a former street rat,  
don't want to live in the palace! Oh, that's a very likely story! Ha,  
well, I won't live in some run down dump with you and that flea-ridden  
monkey and that absurdly weird genie! You're crazy!"

By this point in the conversation, Aladdin had enough of Iago's  
outbursts. Aladdin stood up and walked off, saying, "You're hopeless, you  
know that?"

When Aladdin was out of sight, those words echoed through Iago's  
mind..._You're hopeless, you know that?_ Was Aladdin right? Was there  
no hope for Iago? Iago found himself once again crying tears of rage and  
bitterness, and he believed that he would never measure up to the  
expectations Aladdin had for him, or so Iago thought Aladdin had for him.  
What Iago didn't understand what that Aladdin was being honest and didn't  
really expect anything more from Iago than for him to just be their  
friend. It tore Iago apart inside, thinking that he wasn't really wanted  
by Aladdin or the others. The poor bird didn't realize it, but he was on  
the clear path that led only to self-destruction.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The night passed quickly for those who were able to sleep through it,  
but for Aladdin and Iago that night, the darkness seemed long, almost  
never-ending. Neither had been able to find sleep that night, with  
troubling thoughts tricking their minds deeper and deeper into despair. By  
the time morning came, both were exhausted and not at all ready for the  
move, let alone facing one another. But Aladdin, at least, realized trying  
to avoid the inevitable would be of no help. It would only put more stress  
on the already strained relationship forming between Iago and him. On the  
other hand, Iago was trying desperately to convince himself that all the  
feelings he had experienced the night before were nothing... that he had  
never wanted to trust... that he didn't want to change... and that he didn't  
want to see Aladdin ever again. His "friend" was embarrassed of him, of  
his past, and of who he was now. _He probably doesn't want to hear about  
anything that happened to me. He probably doesn't even care. And why  
should he?_ Iago knew there wasn't a reason. There wasn't a reason for  
anyone to care about him. And that's what Iago was thinking as Aladdin  
entered the menagerie.

Aladdin didn't even want to try anymore. He'd spent the entire night  
worrying about some parrot who would never worry about anyone but himself.  
Why waste anymore time on him? Aladdin also knew there wasn't a reason,  
but he just couldn't convince himself that nothing could be done. He'd  
taken on evil sorcerers, demonic genies, guards bent on his destruction...  
the list was endless. How could he lose to Jafar now? That thought shocked  
Aladdin. Jafar... Jafar was dead, wasn't he? But, then again, in some ways  
he wasn't. If Aladdin ever gave up on Iago, let him slip any farther  
towards evil, Jafar would have gained some control over the world of the  
living. Agrabah wasn't in danger anymore, just one life, but he couldn't  
help feeling that one life was as important as the lives of thousands.  
That was what Aladdin was thinking as Iago came into view.

They didn't look at one another, both unsure of what they might have to  
say if their eyes met. Angry with Aladdin, but more so at himself, Iago  
vowed not to make the first move, not now, not ever. While seeing Iago  
made Aladdin angry all over again, and he was afraid that if he said too  
much, the hostility he was feeling could make things all the worse. "Uh...  
come on, we're leaving," he said quietly, resentment edging his voice.

"You might be," was all Iago said.

"What do you mean by that?" Aladdin was much too tired to try and talk  
to Iago calmly. The resentment was already taking over his words.

"I mean," Iago didn't even sound angry, just tired, "I'm not going."  
His answer was simple and cold.

Even with all the rage Aladdin was feeling, Iago's words hurt him in a  
way he didn't imagine it was possible for Iago to hurt him. It seemed that  
it hadn't even been Iago who had saved them from Jafar only two days ago.  
Iago didn't do things like that. All he ever did was hurt the ones who  
were trying so hard to care about him... and right now, it wasn't easy. At  
that moment, Aladdin didn't want to yell at him, reprimand him; he just  
wanted Iago to take it back. He'd nearly lost Iago once before, on that  
same day, and now, Aladdin was losing him in a different way. "Iago... you...  
you need us," Aladdin realized all this would do was probably upset the  
parrot, but it was a last attempt at changing his stubborn mind.

"I don't need anyone; I never did, and I don't now!" Iago retorted. "I  
don't need your pity, and most of all, I don't need you!" Iago knew that  
wasn't true. He needed someone now more than he ever had before, and the  
more he realized that, the more he hated himself. _Why do I have to be  
like this? I hate this!_ He screamed at himself in his mind, having to  
force himself not to out loud. _Because I am... I can't be anything else. _

"Fine," Aladdin's voice was hard. "I'm not going to plead with you  
anymore. I need you less than you could ever imagine. Do you realize how  
much easier my life would be if I didn't have you to look over constantly?  
You're not a friend; you're a menace. I only took you in because I owed  
you... I owed you. And I've paid you back a thousand times over for anything  
you ever could have done for me." Aladdin fought the urge to let a tear  
slip down his cheek. It was a lie. He'd taken Iago in because he thought  
there was a chance... at least there was a chance he would change, but  
Aladdin couldn't admit that now, not after what Iago had just said. And  
so, feeling pain he wasn't expecting he said, "You can go. I'm not going  
to keep you here anymore."

Aladdin's words cut Iago. So, what he had always suspected was true.  
Aladdin was doing him a favor... only a favor. He wanted him gone. Like  
everyone else, Aladdin didn't care. He'd paid Iago back, and now their  
relationship was over. Iago didn't want to believe what he was so sure was  
true. "What..."

"You heard me," Aladdin hated himself for the words he was saying, but  
he couldn't let one bird ruin the relationships he'd worked so hard to  
build. If Iago stayed, he would destroy every friendship Aladdin had. That  
was something he couldn't let happen. "I want you to leave. If you don't  
need me... then don't stay and cause any more problems than you already  
have."

Iago choked on tears. He hadn't cried in so long, and in these last few  
days, he'd cried three times. "I will then, and don't worry about me; I'll  
never cause you any trouble ever again."

Part of Aladdin wanted to tell him not to go... that he did mean  
something to him, but that part was overweighed by the part that felt too  
deeply scarred by Iago to ever look at him again. "Good," Aladdin tried to  
keep his voice from shaking. He didn't watch as Iago as he turned away,  
preparing to leave. Aladdin knew that Iago wasn't just leaving the palace;  
he was leaving the chances they all had given him. At one time not so long  
ago, he had promised to take full responsibility for Iago, but now he knew  
it was pointless. As much as Aladdin hated to admit it, some of what he  
had said was true. Iago did complicate his life in so many ways, too many.  
It had only been a little while, and look how bad things were already. How  
much worse would it get?

Iago knew he couldn't say anything to change Aladdin's mind... maybe he  
didn't even want to. But still, he couldn't say goodbye. It would hurt him  
too much. _No, Aladdin can't hurt me. Nobody can. People like me can't  
be hurt._ Iago only said one thing, and not to Aladdin to but himself.  
"We're not worth enough."

As he found himself flying away, Iago looked down to see Jasmine  
rushing to the menagerie. He sighed and something unexpected happened. He  
was actually already missing his new "friends;" he was hurting. He'd let  
them too close. How could it be that he was already missing them? How  
could he have let himself become so vulnerable? All Iago knew was that  
when he was with Aladdin or any of them for that matter, he felt  
different, and he liked it. He'd let them too close.

"Aladdin, are you out here?" Jasmine called.

Aladdin turned quickly to meet Jasmine's greeting. "Yeah," he barely  
whispered his response, "I'm right here."

Relief overtook Jasmine's face. For a moment, she visibly brightened,  
but upon seeing Aladdin's devastated expression, her smile disappeared.  
"Aladdin, what... what happened? Are you all right?"

He didn't know what to say. Nothing was all right, but how could he  
tell Jasmine that? She was already having a hard time seeing him move back  
into that hovel. That hovel... all it was doing was causing more problems  
for him. So, why was he so desperate to return to it? Why when all that  
was left there were shadowed memories and broken dreams? "I told him to  
leave." Aladdin's voice was empty. There was nothing else he could say. He  
was still in disbelief over what he had done and why he had done it. Maybe  
somewhere inside of him, Aladdin wanted to be able to change what that  
hovel had been. Maybe he wanted to change what his life had been. Why he  
had done it meant very little now; all that mattered is that it was done.

"Iago?" Jasmine's voice was questioning. She had known Aladdin for only  
a short while, but he had never seemed one to give up one someone so  
easily. After all, he'd never given up on himself.

"Yeah, him," Aladdin said, trying to sound angry, while all he felt was  
sadness.

"Aladdin, why?" She knew the reasons were countless, but it was a  
question she couldn't help but ask.

"Because, Jasmine, he doesn't want to be helped. And he can't be, not  
if he won't try. He's got to try, and if he's not going to, all we're  
doing is wasting our time."

"Oh," Jasmine answered, although it wasn't much of an answer.

"I mean, it's not like I don't know that it's hard to change. I had to,  
too, ya know, Jasmine?" Aladdin begged to be absolved from what he felt he  
had done so wrong, but that was something Jasmine could not do.

"Aladdin, you do know you're trying to convince yourself more than you  
are me, right?" Jasmine said knowingly.

"Of course I know that!" frustration coated his words. "And I know I  
was wrong. I've never given up before, Jasmine. Why now?"

Jasmine ran her slender fingers through Aladdin's thick, black hair.  
"Don't beat yourself up like this. You've been trying so hard... so hard.  
Aladdin, I doubt anyone would have held on as long you have. What you've  
done is amazing. This is just one tiny setback. I know Iago better than  
you do, and believe me, he won't last ten minutes on his own. He'll be  
back, and then, maybe things will be different. All you have to do is  
wait. You have all the time in the world, and you have me." She took her  
hand from Aladdin's hair and ran it down his tan cheek.

"Maybe, Jasmine."

"Aren't I always right?" she teased playfully. "And don't forget you  
have three friends waiting for you right outside. They're ready to move  
on. Are you?"

"Yeah," Aladdin's smile said it all.

By the time night fell, the four friends were situated comfortably in  
Aladdin's hovel. It should have felt like home; it almost did. If only... if  
only something wasn't missing. There should have been five. Iago may have  
been new to all of them, but without him they felt nearly empty. It was  
hard to imagine their new adventures without him. It had been so hard to  
watch him put aside everything that they had seen change and return to his  
fear and aggression. Not one of them knew it, but they all were thinking  
the same thing. The hovel, which should have been alive with the sounds of  
excitement of embarking on a new adventure with new friends, was quiet,  
silent as the starry night.

How could a place filled with so much depression look so inviting,  
appear such a haven? To Iago, that night, it did. From a windowsill only a  
few feet from the hovel, he watched the tiny group sitting together,  
glowing in candlelight. _Together... I should be there... together._ Iago  
took his eyes off the scene and looked around him, to the empty darkness.  
All around him, people were sleeping, surrounded by those who loved them.  
Inside every home, it was warm and comforting... there were families. How  
could they be so close and yet, so far away? He could have been a part of  
something special that night, but instead, here he was, alone. Again,  
alone.

He shook his head, feeling those same familiar arguments arise. _I  
want to be alone. I don't need someone to take care of me. I'm not weak.  
I'm not. _That's the way he felt... weak. He was so tired, so afraid, so  
lonely. Time after time, he felt himself almost give way to the urge to  
call out to Aladdin. Iago knew he couldn't fight it much longer. He needed  
to sleep; if he didn't, he wouldn't have any control over what he would  
say. _But I am._

"I just don't understand it, Genie," Aladdin was saying. "Why can't  
anything just ever go the way I want it to, just once?" He stopped and  
waited for an answer, but at this point, even Genie was speechless. "I  
don't know what I've done to deserve this..." he stopped again. "I haven't  
done anything. The only thing I've done that was wrong was to myself. I  
give up my self-respect, my good judgment, and my happiness to make sure  
everyone else is all right. Why don't I ever just worry about me?"

This time, Genie did have something to say. "Hey, Al, ya know you could  
never do that, little buddy. We all know you're the brave, selfless,  
hero-type. What kinda adventures could we have without a hero? No, you're  
not changing anything."

Aladdin couldn't help but smile at Genie's description of him. "You  
know I'd never do that, Genie," he said, chuckling a little. "I just don't  
know sometimes."

"Know what?" Genie placed his big, blue hand on Aladdin's shoulder,  
attempting to comfort his "little buddy."

"About Iago... about everything," Aladdin wrung his hands. "I don't know  
what I expected. I knew from the beginning this wouldn't be easy, but I  
never thought... I never thought it would be like this. I thought we could  
work it out. I had always believed that it was never too late to be who  
you could have been, but this, it just isn't what I thought. It's  
impossible... and now, it's too late."

"Aladdin, nothing is ever impossible," Genie reassured. Abu chirped in  
agreement and scurried up Aladdin's arm, to where he threw his arms around  
Aladdin's neck. "And you always loved a challenge. Just give it time...  
Nothing is too hard for you, and it's not too late."

"Maybe," Aladdin wanted to agree. He just didn't know if he could.

Iago was almost asleep as he heard just the shadows of these last few  
comments. "Never thought it would be like this," "Impossible," "Too late."  
Somewhere in the back of Iago's mind, behind all the walls he had built to  
keep his heart safe, he argued them. _It's not too late; it can't be.  
It's not impossible; there's more to me. It's not!_ With that, he fell  
into a sleep coated with future dreams and past nightmares.

_Red... the sky was red, the same red it had been when... when he had  
witnessed Jafar for the last time, the same red it had been when he had  
had to make his choice, but that day was gone; everything about that day  
was gone. It had to be. _

_Things started to replay... a movie reel turned, almost like watching an  
old rerun too many times. It was almost as if he could predict everything  
that would happen, every word that would be spoken. Every moment familiar,  
but without that warm sense of comfort that usually precedes it. _

_He watched the scene as he'd watched it before, with horror and growing  
anxiety. Jafar, now in his genie form, swept up in cloud of red dust.  
Rumbling, rumbling, deep in the ground, adding to the fear, fear he knew  
too well. Iago struggled with the pulling to leave, to just fly away and  
forget everything. Here was his chance to leave, to gain exactly what he  
thought he'd always wanted. The struggle wasn't new to him, neither was  
the tugging at his heart to just... just leave. _

_Leaving seemed right, at least that's what he told himself. He'd stayed  
once before; he'd risked everything. Even in this surreal environment, he  
remembered. He remembered that risking it all would mean losing it all.  
Maybe not right away, but eventually. He'd been there; he didn't want to  
be there again. And he wouldn't. Once again, he turned his back on  
everything. Something was different this time... until the rumbling changed.  
It wasn't so deep, so far away. It was right here, right now. Even Iago  
couldn't stand to hear the sound, knowing full well what it would bring.  
Slowly, telling himself he didn't want to and knowing it was true, he  
turned his head to see the ground below his perch crumbling away into  
nothingness. Everything he knew assured him that he didn't want to look  
up. He didn't want to look in Aladdin's eyes and see the pleading, the  
pleading that rarely enters a hero's face. _

_That's when things changed. The dream took on a life if its own. What  
he'd lived through was different. Then, he'd had more courage. He didn't  
know how hard things would be. Maybe he'd never admit that, but things  
were hard, maybe harder now than ever before. Maybe he'd been more naÃ¯ve;  
maybe it was better that way, but none of that mattered. He flew away, not  
looking back, realizing if he did, he'd never forgive himself. Iago tried  
to block out the images he could never forget: the red-hot lava, the pure  
evil formation of Jafar, and that look... the pleading. Aladdin... _

_"Iago," a voice growled, a voice as familiar as the dream itself. "I  
knew you'd never save them. I always knew you were nothing more than I  
made you, and now, you know it, too. How ironic, I never even had to prove  
it; you took care of that little detail yourself." Evil laughter. Jafar... _

_"NO! I saved them; this is only a dream! Reality has already been  
written; you can't change that!" _

Screaming... his own screaming, only his own. Nothing in the night to be  
afraid of, except himself, bute inside him was something to be afraid of:  
a monster he'd tried to leave behind in shadows of a memory. He thought  
he'd won against it; he'd thought it was the end. Somewhere in the darkest  
corners of his soul, that monster still lurked, finding any chance it  
could to take away anything Iago had managed to gain. In that dream, it  
took the last bit of hope he had for himself. If he had the chance again,  
would he really leave them, just leave them there to die? Would he just  
forget everything they'd done? Had he already done that? What had he given  
up? What had he lost through his own ignorance and cruelty? And the most  
important question: Was it really too late?

Aladdin tossed and turned for the second night in a row. Somehow, he  
could feel what Iago was feeling. Flashes of Iago's nightmare found their  
way into Aladdin's mind and twisted what Jasmine had taught him to  
believe... Things can be changed. It's never too late. The future is not a  
set path, but what one makes of it. Maybe none of it was true, but if it  
wasn't, what in life was there to live for? Was he still the street rat  
he'd always been? For once, Aladdin knew Iago was feeling the same, asking  
himself the same questions. Somehow, knowing Iago was hurting, too, made  
Aladdin's burden a little lighter. If the two of them could both have the  
same ambition, the ambition to be something more, to have something more,  
how could they be so different? Maybe they weren't. Even if things weren't  
exactly as they had planned, they could be changed. "It's not too late."  
Aladdin smiled.

"It's too late." Iago closed his eyes, almost afraid to sleep, waiting  
to see morning light.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

A paradox was being formed, it seemed, between those two different, yet  
two very alike, souls. Who would have guessed by the placid atmosphere of  
the Arabian night like this that anyone could have been not at peace?  
Truth would have it, though, that neither one of them would slumber well  
that night, for visions plagued their dreams, creating nightmares out of  
what should have been pleasant dreams. For Aladdin, however, these  
nightmares didn't frighten him nearly the way they did Iago. That was were  
their primary difference was; while Aladdin had hope for the future, Iago  
didn't. Those whose hearts are hopeful can clearly see, even in the  
darkest hours, that a better day would lay ahead. Those without hope,  
though, force themselves to see nothing but darkness, and the darkness  
dominates more...until one is so locked up and closed inside the walls of  
his own personal prison, a torture chamber of haunting memories and  
undeparted woes.

There was a candle burning, though, in the midst of that darkness, and  
if only Iago would open his heart, not his eyes, enough to see it, he  
would finally realize that he did possess that truth, that beauty, that  
glimmer of hope. He shunned himself for having lived the life he had those  
past years with Jafar, and he didn't realize how much unnecessary pain he  
was causing himself. _You're hopeless, you know that?_ Those words  
Aladdin had told him were the last ones they shared together in  
conversation. Was Aladdin right? No, there was more to it...there had to  
be. Had he only been angry and hurt by Iago's refusal to open up? Yes,  
indeed, Aladdin had been frustrated with Iago's attitude toward the  
others, including Aladdin himself, but he didn't really mean those words.  
Aladdin had hope for Iago, even now.

Somehow, the night passed, as time always does, even when one moment  
can seem unending. Daybreak was just moments away when Iago opened his  
eyes. There was just the slightest hint of sunlight peering over the  
eastern horizon, and so, he kept his eyes open, relieved to see a new day  
dawning. He moaned with pain, for the ground was hardly a decent place to  
rest. He had slept in an alley behind some barrels of grain, hoping that  
no one would find him. He didn't want to be found; he didn't even think he  
really wanted to find himself.

His stomach growled fiercely, and he placed his wings over it, holding  
himself as if he were ill. He felt dizzy and drowsy, but at least it was  
becoming day. _I am really hungry...I need to eat something..._

He flew weakly to the end of the alley that opened to the main street.  
Some merchants were beginning to set up their stands for the coming  
business day, and Iago noticed a fruit vendor nearby. The man was  
middle-aged and seemed to be occupied with his work. Iago quietly sneaked  
up behind the stand, which boasted a wide variety of fruits, and he looked  
desperately at the food. _Just one apple..._

He landed on the edge of the stand and reached for an apple, but to his  
dismay, when he pulled to apple from the pile, a few others tumbled down.  
The noise surprised the vendor, who immediately turned around to see what  
was going on.

"I'll have your hand for stealing that, you little-" he started to  
shout, but he stopped abruptly when he noticed that there was no little  
orphan standing there.

"What the-" he asked, taking notice of the parrot flying away from the  
scene. "Blasted bird! These pesty animals around here really need to find  
a better way to eat."

The merchant merely dismissed Iago as another "pest," just a dumb  
animal who was trying to survive. Iago flew back behind the barrels of  
grain and muttered, "Whew, that was close," upon landing. He munched on  
the apple, wondering what he was going to do with all the time he had to  
himself that day.

"I've got all the time in the world," he said quietly to himself, "and  
yet, I'm not happy. All I wanted was freedom for so long, and now that  
I've got it, it's not at all what I thought it would be."

He sighed long and deeply, unable to fully grasp why he was feeling  
this way. True, he knew he was lonely, but this feeling was one he hadn't  
felt in a long time. He didn't think he needed anyone, but how wrong he  
was. How wrong indeed...

In the hovel, Aladdin was the first to awaken. He looked out the window  
near where he had made his "bed," and he dawned a slight smile,  
remembering how wonderful the palace looked first thing in the morning. He  
wasn't alone anymore, though. He turned to see Genie's lamp resting on the  
ledge and Carpet lying on the floor next to him, with Abu sleeping soundly  
on top. _What crazy dreams I had last night,_ he thought. _I never  
imagined I would feel so...so guilty, I guess. I can only hope he's  
okay._

Abu stirred and opened his eyes, which in turn caused Carpet to wake  
up. Aladdin smiled at his friends and said, "Hey, guys...I guess there's  
only one more we gotta get up." They nodded in agreement, and Aladdin  
reached for the lamp and rubbed it, saying, "Hey, Genie...it's time to  
wake up!"

Genie immediately popped out of the lamp, dressed in a night cap and a  
robe. He was holding a newspaper and a cup of coffee. His eyes looked  
bloodshot. "Oh, darn it, Al!" he complained like a little kid. "Can ya see  
I'm trying to read the comics section?"

Aladdin had no idea what Genie was talking about, so he simply shrugged  
his shoulders and replied, "Sorry, Genie, but everyone else was up, so I  
figured you should be up, too. Come on, let's go get some breakfast."

"Ah, breakfast! The most important meal of the deal!" mused Genie,  
changing into his normal clothes.

"Yeah, yeah," Aladdin mused back. "You already told me that  
yesterday...and the day before that...and the day..."

Their voices faded out as they left the hovel. Still and undisturbed,  
the hovel remained, until a certain someone landed on the ledge of the  
window. Iago looked around to see no one there. _It figures. Why would  
they wait up for me? Aladdin did tell me to leave, so I guess he meant  
forever. What does he care anyway? Look at this place, nothing but a dump!  
And to think he wanted me to live here! I don't think so!_

Iago was angry again, so he left the hovel in a huff and landed on a  
nearby roof. "This isn't the type of life I'm supposed to be living," he  
mumbled. "I deserve better than this! I deserve to live in the palace!  
That's it! The palace!"

An idea had just entered his mind. He thought about how uncomfortable  
he had been sleeping on the streets that past night, and he vowed he would  
never do that again. _From now on, I'm sleeping in the palace. I'd like  
to see them try to stop me._

When nightfall came, Iago flew to the palace wall and perched himself  
on top of it, looking down into the menagerie. The guards were busy  
patrolling the area, so Iago knew he had to be cautious if he were to  
really attempt to fly into the palace unseen. When the guards turned the  
corner, Iago made a break for the window nearest to him, and within a few  
seconds, he was inside the palace. The room he had landed in was decorated  
elaborately, just like all the other rooms in the palace. He shuddered to  
think about how dreary and scary Jafar's lab had been in comparison to the  
rest of the palace, but he knew, however, that Jafar's bed chambers were a  
lot more brilliant. Not sure of where else to go, Iago left that room he  
had just entered, and he flew down the hallway, until he came to a very  
familiar room.

As he pushed open the tall door, it creaked, sending an echo down the  
dark corridor. Iago stopped, afraid the sound would disturb someone, but  
he also knew that the sultan and Jasmine's bed chambers were clear on the  
other side of the palace. He breathed a sigh of relief after a few  
moments, seeing that no one had heard the echo. Iago entered the room and  
carefully closed the door behind him. This room, this very room was were  
he had slept for years when he had lived in the palace. These was the  
chambers of Jafar, the ones which Iago had been forced to share with the  
evil visier.

The bed was covered with deep blood red and black satin sheets and  
pillows, and the walls were adorn with the very same hues in tapestries  
and curtains. Although dark and gloomy, there was almost a certain awe to  
the atmosphere of this place. How could a place that had been inhabited by  
such a black heart seem appealing to Iago? Perhaps it was because it was  
all he had really ever known for so long in his life.

There, in the corner, was a black iron perch, on which Iago had slept.  
He landed on it, feeling the comfort of something familiar, but at the  
same time, the iron bar between his clutched feet felt as if something  
were ever so slightly out of place. That feeling Iago sensed from the  
perch was reflective of how he felt about himself, that there was  
something about him that was out of place, not quite right...not as it had  
been before.

In spite of that penetrating feeling and in spite of himself, Iago  
closed his eyes, determined to fall asleep that night without any  
hesitation. He almost felt as if by dreaming, he could leave this life  
behind and venture into a realm of happiness, a place where everything  
would be as he wanted it. What the parrot didn't know, however, was that  
his mind would produce nothing but nightmares.

_Those long, bony fingers reached...they reached for his essence,  
trying to grap hold of all that he was. A cackling laugh...one of pure  
evil mocked him for who he was...a coward and nothing more. Those  
piercing, menacing snake eyes...oh, how they perceived right through him  
and into the very center of his heart, breaking it with every slash and  
cut into his soul. _

_"Let go of me!" cried a doomed voice. "Stop it; stop it!"_

It stopped. Iago opened his eyes and peered around into the heavy  
darkness. Nothing. There was nothing here. Or was there? What he hadn't  
realized was that his screaming in the dream had escaped his mouth and  
entered into the real world, where it could clearly be heard. Someone had  
heard it. Someone was there; he could feel it.

His teeth chattered with sheer fright, and he turned white underneath  
his red feathers. His eyes had adjusted just enough to notice a figure  
standing in the doorway.

"Who-who's there?" he peeped, shaking violently.

The figure didn't say anything and only moved closer. It was  
approaching him quickly, looking as if it intended only to harm him. Iago,  
not knowing what else to do, spread his wings, ready to fly away, but a  
hand reached out for him and grabbed him, pulling him up against a body.  
The body was warm and gentle, though, not hard like Jafar's. The grip  
loosened, and whoever was holding Iago sat down on the bed and carefully  
placed him on the lap.

"Iago?" whispered a voice. "What are you doing here?"

This voice caught Iago completely off-guard. He wasn't sure what to  
say, so he only replied, "Yeah, it's me."

"What are you doing here?" the voice again asked, only a little more  
demanding this time.

"I-I needed a place to sleep," was all he managed to say.

"Father would be furious if he found you in here, Iago. I thought  
Aladdin told you to leave..."

"And go where? Jasmine, this palace is all I've ever known, and for  
that to be taken away from me, well, what am I supposed to do? How can  
Aladdin not expect me to be a bit upset?"

"Iago, listen to me. Look, I know you don't understand where he's  
coming from, but you've got to try. Aladdin is a good person; he's not  
like Jafar. He would never, ever hurt you. You must believe that."

Iago looked away from Jasmine. Even though it was dark, the moonlight  
that came through the window was enough to illuminate their forms. He  
blinked back the onset of tears, the dim moonlight reflecting off his  
pupils.

"Jasmine," his voice broke, "I don't know what to believe. I'm so  
confused...I mean, I thought I had proven myself good enough for you guys.  
I did destroy Jafar, didn't I?"

"Yes, Iago. Yes, you did," she almost smiled, "and what you did was  
amazing, but it takes a lot more than that to be good. You have to keep  
living life as if you really care about others...others who are your  
friends. I couldn't believe what my own eyes were seeing just days ago,  
but I still believe that you were starting to show a part of you that you  
had kept hidden for so long."

"It hurts too much to care," Iago stated disgustedly. "All these  
feelings do is confuse me, and it's not worth feeling this miserable to be  
able to feel like this...to be able to feel all these emotions. You may  
have thought you saw something more to me, but let's be serious here,  
Princess. You've known me longer than Aladdin, and you know darn well that  
I was evil. I still am evil. How can I ever change that? Answer: I can't.  
Maybe you'd like to go on believing in your own little pretty world that  
good can really come out of someone evil like me, but let me be the first  
to tell you that things don't and can't work that way."

"But, Iago-"

"No, I don't wanna hear it. I owed Aladdin a favor; that's it, just a  
stinkin' favor for saving my life, and I paid it back...twice. The only  
reason I destroyed that blasted Jafar was before I was tired of him  
hurting _me_. Me. Just me. Got it? Not you, not Aladdin, no  
one...just me. Now that the favor's been repaid, there's no point to being  
friends or whatever. There's no sense in any of that rubbish, so don't you  
dare go trying to convince me that there's something good about me for all  
you goody-goodies to love, 'cause there isn't."

Jasmine gasped at Iago's words. Could she, even now, afford to speak to  
this insolent parrot? His words cut her deeply right through the parts of  
her that hurt the most. Did he really mean those things? She thought for a  
moment before taking her next action. A part of her wanted to push Iago  
roughly on to the ground and leave, but another part of her told her that  
she needed to persist just a while longer.

"Iago," she spoke slowly, "you said yourself that you paid Aladdin back  
twice. You didn't have to come back after you set us all free from the  
dungeon, but you did, and even though you might sit here and say that you  
only destroyed Jafar to get rid of him from your life, I don't believe  
you. You could have left Agrabah if you were so worried about him  
controling you, but you didn't. Don't you see? You destroyed Jafar because  
you _cared_ about us. Even if it scares you to feel that sense of  
caring in your heart, don't run away from it. I refuse to believe that you  
are that heartless. If you really are heartless, why did you almost cry  
just moments ago?"

"I owe you no explanation," Iago firmly stated. "And what do you know  
about me anyway? You only think you know me. Just give it up already,  
Princess."

His voice was shaking, though, and Jasmine knew that Iago was having a  
harder and harder time refraining from crying and letting all his emotions  
out. How much longer could he keep himself locked up like this before  
bursting open? Jasmine feared to ponder the answer to that horrific  
question.

"Just let it out," she whispered. "Please, stop doing this to  
yourself."

"What does it matter to you?" Iago spat. "What am I to you? How does  
how I feel matter to you?"

"I don't know, but it does matter. _You_ matter."

"I'm not worth it," he coldly stated.

What felt like a stone statue on her lap almost immediately melted into  
a molten state. Jasmine felt Iago give way on her lap, and he buried his  
head into his wings, refusing to look at her. Then, it happened...the  
tears came, and they not only fell, but a storm broke out within those  
eyes that had witnessed so much evil in his lifetime. Jasmine felt her  
heart drop inside of her, and she wanted to be able to say the right words  
to make Iago feel better, but no words were needed now. She knew the truth  
about him; he did care, perhaps more than he wanted to.

After several minutes had passed, Iago stopped crying so violently, and  
he looked up from his hiding place behind his own wings. His eyes met  
Jasmine's in that dark room, and she could see that there was a longing in  
them, a longing to be accepted. Iago was afraid to speak, for he was  
partly ashamed of himself for having let himself reveal his true feelings  
like this. Jasmine smiled and simply said, "You _are_ so worth it."

Iago was still confused, but he did understand at least one thing now:  
Jasmine cared enough about him to listen and try to understand. "Why are  
you so good to me?" he asked, not sure what else to say.

"I owe you no explanation," she half-joked. "No, seriously, I think you  
already know the answer to that question. Good deserves good."

"But I'm not-"

"You are."

Iago stopped trying to argue the point, so he just asked, "Now what do  
we do?"

"For now," Jasmine said gently, "I want you to sleep, to sleep well and  
to have pleasant dreams."

"Yes," Iago simply nodded. "Pleasant dreams..."

He closed his eyes, and Jasmine placed him on the bed covers. It didn't  
matter where he was sleeping, for now his dreams would be pleasant ones.  
Not even the remaining articles of Jafar all around him could disturb  
Iago's sleep that night. For once, Iago was at peace, even though he still  
had much confusion in his mind. For a night, at least, there would be  
peace of mind for the one who needed it so desperately.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Peace of mind. Finally...it had been so long...comfort when everything  
seemed so wrong, when looking ahead did nothing but terrify the mind and  
spirit. Reluctant, he felt so reluctant to accept that he could rest, rest  
and not worry about the coming day. It would reveal itself in its own good  
time. Iago wanted to believe that, and more than that, he had to. He had  
to have at least a few hours when everything made sense and change was  
something he did not fear. His rationality pushed him to look deeper than  
he had been, to see that everything was too good to be true. Tonight,  
however, none of that mattered. If he could have this one night, maybe he  
could hang on just a little while longer, try just a little harder this  
time. It was the only chance he had left, his last chance, or so he felt.

Jasmine sat cross-legged on her bed, too tired think clearly, too  
disturbed to sleep. Her thoughts were clouded with doubt. She had done the  
right thing, hadn't she? All this time, she had thought Aladdin had taken  
responsibility for Iago, that in no way was she a part of it, and that his  
well-being was not something she would have to deal with, let alone worry  
about. She questioned herself; had Aladdin's promise somehow changed her  
relationship with Iago as well? She knew that by asking the question, she  
was doing nothing more than kidding herself. Their relationship had  
changed, and it scared her. There was so much work, so much pain,  
something different than any friendship she had ever forged before. She  
had always taken care of those around her, and simply, they had always  
accepted it; never would they question her caring ways or kind words. She  
was trusted; she had trusted. It was just the way things had always been.  
Everything had changed so quickly that she had no time to prepare for what  
she would deal with, not only in the coming days, but in the coming years.

These questions were something she couldn't answer on her own. Jasmine  
knew there was only one person who perhaps felt what she did, only much  
stronger. After all, she had never been willing to put everything on the  
line for Iago. She didn't even know if she would have. Only one person  
did... had ... Aladdin. She got up off the bed, sweeping her flowing hair into  
a perfect knot. Jasmine had to see him.

The streets of Agrabah were dark and foreboding at this hour, and  
Aladdin's hovel was anything but beautiful, but in it slept her beautiful  
prince, someone that nothing could keep her from, especially now.  
Approaching the hovel in the shadow of night, she appeared determined, a  
warrior of sorts, determined to rescue not only her allies... but what had  
been her enemy. She rapped softly on the entrance, daintily, not at all  
how she felt. When no one found his way to her, she silently placed her  
foot inside the darkened room and took a tiny step forward.

"Aladdin," she whispered, her voice almost inaudible. "Aladdin," her  
voice was a little louder this time, at least enough so that Aladdin  
stirred, barely looking up, and managed to catch her eyes in his. He  
smiled, as if believing it were nothing but a dream, an angelic dream, and  
began to close his eyes again, when something in the room caught a feel of  
her urgency. Aladdin blinked, astonishment on his face, unsure of what to  
say. Jasmine just nodded and stepped out the doorway, knowing Aladdin  
would follow.

The light from the just rising sun nearly blinded Aladdin, his eyes not  
ready for the day yet. Jasmine gazed up toward the palace, for the first  
time, uncomfortable in Aladdin's presence. "He came back last night," she  
tried to seem calm and neutral about the whole situation, while something  
strange in her wanted to rejoice in the news she had brought Aladdin.

"Iago... he... he came back?" Aladdin did not try to hide his happiness;  
his voice shook from it. Through all his relief, Jasmine smiled at him,  
almost sadly, and Aladdin felt his voice begin to shake for another  
reason, something not nearly as wonderful. "Is... is he all right?" Aladdin  
didn't want to ask this question. If he wasn't, Aladdin knew whose fault  
it would be, and he would never forgive himself. Aladdin had never been  
one to act on his anger, but he had, and like every other action, he was  
sure it would have consequences... consequences he couldn't hide from.

"He's, well, he's fine, I guess," Jasmine seemed unsure of her answer.  
Her eyes lied to him, and Aladdin had been lied to before; he knew.

"He isn't, is he?" Aladdin's voice was becoming louder, more anxious.  
Jasmine shook her head, not sure of how to explain this all to him.  
Aladdin's eyes fell. "No!" Aladdin shouted, "How could I do this? How  
could I have been so stupid?" He buried his head in his hands, feeling  
guilt like he never had before. He had never wanted to hurt Iago; in a  
way, they had a special bond only two very different, yet very alike,  
souls can have. He had understood Iago, and although he would never had  
admitted it, he had felt sorry for what had happened to him, although  
Aladdin wasn't even sure what that was. "I'm sorry," his words sounded  
almost as if he was crying into his hands.

"Aladdin, calm down!" Jasmine pleaded. "Physically, he's fine..." her  
words trailed off.

Aladdin lifted his face from his hands; "What then, Jasmine?" his  
broken words were confused.

"Aladdin," Jasmine began calmly this time, "he's afraid. He should be.  
After all that's happened, wouldn't you be?" Aladdin looked awe-struck. He  
muttered something Jasmine didn't hear. "And he's confused. He doesn't  
know where to go from here. He has no self-confidence; in fact, Aladdin, I  
think he may hate himself."

"Hate himself?" Aladdin repeated.

"Yes, hate himself. He doesn't believe he's worth the effort we're  
putting forth, so he doesn't try. He's afraid, Aladdin, and alone, and  
confused. We've all been there... we all have." Jasmine breathed deeply. She  
couldn't believe what she was doing... for... for Iago, but she couldn't leave  
him to suffer, not like was he was now. He'd suffered before; she didn't  
want to admit it, but she couldn't deny it anymore. "He's not all right."

"He's not. I knew that before, and I didn't even try," Aladdin's words  
again were plagued with guilt. Jasmine looked deep into Aladdin's soul, a  
portal through his eyes.

"And neither are you," her voice was sympathetic. "You may just need  
him as much as he needs you. You need each other, because you are the only  
ones who will ever understand. It's going to be hard, Aladdin. I'm not  
going to lie to you; he has a lot to work through, but if you can get him  
to open up, you'll have someone so special in your life. I know he's  
special, Aladdin, and so do you."

Aladdin smiled, "Everyone is special."

Life is strange. On some days a person can wake up feeling like  
everything going on around makes perfect sense and know just where one  
fits in the scheme of things; on others, the day ahead feels more like a  
journey than anything else, a journey that stretches out before one until  
night falls, and worst of all, one knows the next day will be the same and  
the next. In the heart, one knows, there is no way to escape from this  
cycle of sleeping and awakening, almost living and dying each day. That  
morning was a mixture of the two, a tangled web of belief and lies...one  
of those mornings when part of you realizes you're finally falling into  
place, and the other part doesn't even know where to begin. Iago felt the  
pull of morning begging him to wake up. The night before seemed lost in  
sleep and disbelief. Part had been dreams; he was sure of that. The other...  
he just didn't know, but whatever was happening, he could only hope it  
wasn't a dream.

Things were not as simple as they had previously seemed. Aladdin knew  
it, Jasmine knew it, and more than anyone else, Iago knew it. At least  
Iago thought, _Things couldn't be any worse than they were. There's only__  
one way to go from here._ He barely realized that optimistic thought  
had come from his own mind. The feeling was unfamiliar. This morning, Iago  
was gracious for the quiet that seemed to cover all of Agrabah. Seemed to,  
but didn't.

Stretching, feeling rested for the first time in weeks, things seemed  
clearer than they had the day before, more in perspective. One day at a  
time... one day at a time. That was the only way he could take it. If he  
looked any farther into the future, he wasn't sure he could handle all  
that was being bestowed upon him. Things were so much easier, so much less  
complicated when all his choices were made for him. Now that he had  
freedom, was he more a prisoner than ever? He didn't know it yet, but the  
answer had already been determined. It would be proven soon, very soon.

Iago found himself waiting for the usual splash of yellow sunshine to  
fall onto the adorned floor, but surprisingly, the sky was still a hazy  
orange, speckled with the nighttime blues and purples... slightly gloomy.  
_A perfect start to a perfect day,_ Iago's thoughts turned sarcastic,  
but for some reason, he stopped the thought in mid-progress. _No, maybe__  
today won't be perfect, but it could be close._ Again, Iago was taken  
aback by his own thoughts. He had never before questioned that the world  
was out to get him; he had never even doubted it. Sometimes, though, it  
was hard to be so cynical all the time. Why couldn't he just for once  
believe that things could work out; that maybe it wasn't too good to be  
true?

He wasn't expecting anyone to knock, so he didn't prepare himself for  
what to say if someone did. It seemed like he was always planning his next  
word, so that he would never say anything he didn't want them to know. But  
exactly who was "them?" They weren't who had they had been to him before.  
Maybe that was why what to say to them now totally threw him off. Really,  
he wasn't sure what he could say and what he couldn't, what they would  
even want to hear. It was too early, and he was much too tired to be  
planning what they would say in their next conversation. After all, no one  
entered this room; no one even knew he was here, except for Jasmine. From  
the looks of the morning, she wouldn't be up for hours. What was there to  
worry about?

_Knock, knock._ A deep thudding sound came from the heavy door. It  
reminded him of... of... no, it couldn't be. Still, the sound was all too  
familiar. No... Jafar was gone; hadn't he confirmed that last night? "Uhhh...  
yeah, I'm in here," he barely whispered, pleading to himself that it was  
Aladdin or Jasmine or even... a guard.

The door opened in silence, Iago not daring to breathe. He waited,  
wishing that if he blinked, the door would be still, and there not a sense  
of danger would remain in the room. Then, it was over.

The door stood opened, and in it was a figure as quiet as its essence.  
Iago didn't recognize whoever it was; in fact, he was glad he didn't. Its  
features were dark and shadowed, another thing Iago felt blessed for. The  
eyes were the only defined features. They laid on the forehead and shone  
like two tiny crystals blinking out from inside of a darkened cave. If  
only they too had been hidden... It was cloaked in a shawl of fear; Iago  
felt it. He couldn't imagine what was waiting there. The horrors he'd  
faced before meant little now; this was something new. There was no  
expectation for what would become of this. Lingering before stepping into  
the light, the being seemed to find pleasure in the suspense it was  
causing. It basked in Iago's fear. Iago just stared, choking on what to  
say. He wanted to save himself, but in sheer panic, he didn't know how.

"Well," the voice voice was soft, seductive, "aren't you going to  
invite me in?" It paused momentarily, knowing it would receive no answer.  
"Well, then, I guess I'll just have to invite myself, won't I?"

With each movement towards the shallow light from the window, Iago sunk  
farther back onto the bed. Curiosity gnawed at him; he wanted to look. His  
better senses told him to look away, for he would never forget what he  
would see. However, the internal argument was short. The being wasted no  
time stepping nearer and nearer to the patch of light, watching as Iago  
waited in growing horror. In time, it set its foot into the dull light,  
and Iago found the urge to look away. A beam of light spread up the being,  
beginning at the foot that first found its way into the patch and making  
its way up and up into its core.

The "it" was a she, although unlike anyone Iago was accustomed to. Her  
hair was long, falling around her delicate waist. The color of sun at  
midday, it was something Iago had never seen before. Her eyes were a blue  
resembling that of the sky surrounding the sun. Her skin was pale,  
untanned, unlike the dark honey color of the women of Agrabah. Altogether,  
she was a portrait of a beautiful Arabian day, but in the warmth of her  
beauty was still a terrifying presence, something Iago couldn't identify.  
He gasped, not knowing what else to do. She wasn't what he had been  
expecting... what had he been expecting? He almost wished she had been  
something horrible, a creation of pure evil, for then his fear would have  
been justified, but this woman created more dread than he had felt a long  
time...maybe because she was everything he shouldn't have feared, but knew  
he had to.

"What do you want from me?" he asked.

"I think you know," her voice continued smooth and flowing.

"N-no," Iago stuttered, his voice breaking.

"But you do. You can deny it, but you do. Isn't all you ever wanted to  
just be accepted, no questions asked about you or your past? Isn't that  
all you ever wanted?" Iago gulped, trying to swallow the lump in his  
throat. She knew everything about him; how he felt; why he felt that way.  
Although she never said it, she knew his entire life story. He could feel  
it when he looked into her piercing blue eyes. When he saw his trembling  
reflection in them, he didn't want to admit that she was right, but in his  
heart, he knew she was. Somehow, that wasn't at all comforting. Her smile  
was evil; he remembered a smile much like that. "It is, Iago. I know more  
about you than you'll ever know." Her smile spread. "And you're lucky to  
have me."

Lucky?" Iago questioned harshly, finding his voice. "How can I be lucky  
when I don't even know who you are, why you're here? When everything  
you're doing is scaring the heck out of me?"

"Iago, Iago," her voice lowered, almost soothingly. "You know me. I've  
always been here. How else would I know everything about you?"

Her answers were unconvincing. He'd learned not to trust when answers  
were vague or even when they weren't. "I don't care," his words were cold.  
"I just want to know who you are..."

"Who I am?" she laughed cruelly. "Who am I? What does that matter to  
you? Don't you see that I'm here to offer you everything you need to be  
happy?" Iago opened his beak to protest, but the pale woman cut him off.  
"If you think Aladdin and his friends are going to change anything about  
your life, you're wrong, very wrong. They're different; you're different.  
Can you honestly tell me that you think for one moment they have a clue of  
what you've been through or who you are?"

The words caught Iago off-guard. He had thought he had made up his  
mind, but maybe she wasn't so wrong... _Isn't that all you ever wanted? It__  
was... They're different; you're different. He was._ Where he was now...  
could he really stay there, each day pretending that where he lived was  
his home and that he belonged there? Home is more than the place where one  
lives, so much more. He had lived in the palace for years, and never had  
it been his home. Even now, why should he keep pretending, when each day  
was a fight with himself, with those around him? It was all he ever  
wanted, and she could bring it to him.

_No!_ His thoughts flashed violently. When he looked at her, Iago  
knew she wasn't like him, not anymore than Aladdin or Jasmine. After all  
this time, he was coming the closest he ever had to finding a home. He  
couldn't throw that all away. He knew nothing about this woman, nothing  
except that her empty blue eyes were able to take in all that was his, and  
he wasn't ready to give everything up... at least, not yet.

"You're not ready to give up what you have here?" her sweet voice  
turned caustic as she noticed the bewildered look on Iago's face. "Oh,  
please. Of course I know what you're thinking; I've seen enough of you to  
know." The slender figure shook her head, almost in pity.

"Enough of what?" Iago was tired of her word games and half answers.  
What did she have to hide?

"All of you," she sighed. "Oh, poor me; what do I do; I'm so lost?" her  
voice changed to a whine. "I mean, come on here, isn't that the way half  
the world is, Iago, lost just like you?" Iago didn't know how to react to  
her direct attack on himself, on everything he was hiding, on everything  
that was him. "It is..." her voice trailed off, and her eyes met the window,  
looking out into the distance. "I used to be one of you," her voice was  
finally quieting, almost reverend, and for just a second, Iago thought he  
could hear just the slightest trace of longing.

He looked at her, his eyes searching for something to grab hold of,  
something he could understand that would perhaps calm him, maybe make up  
his mind. "Well, all that matters is that I'm not anymore," Iago could  
hear a trace of tears tugging at the edges of her words. She fought them  
visibly. Iago had to wonder why if she could make things so much better,  
why she was on the verge of tears. Suddenly, her saddened tone of voice  
turned deathly serious. It happened so quickly, Iago wasn't so sure that  
the pain had even been there a moment ago. "You do want to be happy, don't  
you, Iago? You do; you want to be happy... like me."

"Uhhh... I-I don't know," Iago's words were shaky, unsure.

"Don't you understand?" she snapped. "I was lost once! I was lost, but  
I found my way! Iago, you don't have to be lost anymore. I've found you,  
and I'm not the only one. Where we're going everyone was once like you,  
lost, alone, uncertain, but now... now they're glorious! You've been found,  
Iago; for Allah's sake, don't let us lose you again. You can be just like  
the rest of them. They'll be no one to hurt you, to tell you who or what  
to be, what to do. For once, you'll be in charge. You'll have freedom.  
You'll have everything, Iago."

The thought was so tempting. Happiness, unending happiness. It was so  
close, if only he would reach out and take it. What would he really be  
losing by leaving Aladdin? Friendship? Only if that's what one would call  
it. Aladdin had never proven anything beyond the fact that he was paying  
Iago back for a favor. Hadn't he told him to leave, to never come back?  
Isn't that what Aladdin really wanted? To get rid of the nuisance that  
complicated his life? They'd never understand him... ever. Iago didn't even  
feel like he was worth understanding; maybe, where he would go, people  
would understand, and he would be worth it. Jasmine may have thought she  
meant what she had said the night before, but she didn't; she couldn't  
have. How long had she known Iago? Too long to really care for; no one who  
knew him really cared about him. However, if there creatures were like  
him, could they?

Realizing that finally she had drawn him into her trap, the siren  
smiled an evil, burning smile. "You have nothing to lose... and everything  
to gain," she spoke through upturned lips. "Take my hand, Iago. Trust me.  
Everything you ever wanted and it's right here for you. Those people  
probably won't even notice you've left; maybe you're doing them a favor.  
You've been found, and now the process can begin, the healing process.  
Take the first step; just take my hand." A dark presence covered the  
already darkened room. Iago should have been terrified, but instead, an  
awful calm was falling over him, calm that chilled him to the bone. With  
no will left to fight, only visions of the life he would be leading,  
perfect in every way, he landed on her pale, outstretched arm.

He breathed deeply. No matter what he was expecting, thoughts of the  
previous days mixed in with his hopes for the future took a toll on his  
heart. Transparent images of Aladdin and Jasmine reached for him, trying  
to pull him back into reality, but Iago fought it. He didn't want to  
experience any of it anymore. He wanted what he had been promised.

"By the way," the mystery woman whispered, "my name is Reena." With  
that, her words were lost in a thunderous roar that enveloped the room.  
Above the two souls opened a blackened hole in the ceiling and up into the  
sky. Iago's choice had been made; it was too late to change it.

They were gone.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

By this time in the morning, the sun had risen high enough above the  
horizon for the people to all be wide awake and ready for the start of yet  
another day. After the fairly long conversation that Aladdin and Jasmine  
had about Iago, they realized that it was probably time to head over to  
the palace and see what could be done about the poor bird. Genie, Abu, and  
Carpet were being exceptionally lazy that morning, so Aladdin figured he  
would just let them sleep a while longer. He also figured they would know  
where he would be, at the palace.

Not wasting another moment, Aladdin and Jasmine took each other by the  
hand and walked back to the palace, although they weren't enjoying the  
walk. It would have been nice to be able to take a morning stroll, but  
they both knew better. There was someone who needed them, and they knew  
better than anyone. As they neared the main entrace, the guards were  
standing by it, and Rasoul was confused when he saw Jasmine walking back  
into the palace gates.

"Um, excuse me, Princess," he said with an uneasy expression on his  
face, "but what are you doing coming back to the palace? I don't remember  
seeing you leave this morning."

"That's not your concern right now, Rasoul," Jasmine replied hastily.  
"There are important matters that need to be taken care of."

"Yes, your highness, of course. I meant no offense."

Jasmine merely nodded and continued walking toward the palace,  
disregarding the suspicion of the guards. Rasoul looked at the couple as  
they went up the steps to the main doors, and he couldn't help but to  
wonder if Jasmine had sneaked out of the palace in the middle of the night  
simply to see Aladdin. He knew the sultan wouldn't take kindly to hearing  
about such business, but he felt it was probably in his best interest to  
keep his mouth shut. He didn't like Aladdin much, but the last thing he  
wanted was to anger the princess.

Jasmine was practically running as she finally reached the hallway that  
led to Jafar's old bed chambers. Aladdin was worried about why she was  
moving so quickly, but he figured she was just concerned about Iago. "He  
should be right in here," she explained, motioning toward the door to  
Jafar's room.

Jasmine turned the doorknob, and as the door opened, she realized how  
exceptionally dark it was in the room. She gasped at first, realizing that  
it was far too dark for this time of the day, but then she noticed that  
the curtains were pulled, so no sunlight could penetrate into the room.  
She began opening the curtains, and as the bright, vibrant sunlight  
flooded the room, Aladdin kept his eyes on the bed, where he thought he  
would see Iago. Much to his surprise, there was no one there. All that  
remained of Iago was his indentation from where he had been lying on the  
bed earlier.

Aladdin gasped, which in turn caused Jasmine to turn toward the bed and  
gasp. She expected to find Iago there at least, but there was  
nothing...not even a trace.

"Where could he have gone?" asked Aladdin. "You don't think he would  
have left the room and might be sneaking around the palace, do you?"

"I would hope not," sighed Jasmine, "but look who we're talking about  
here. This is Iago. He's sneaky, and chances are that he probably just got  
hungry and went to find something to eat. I really hope Father doesn't see  
him...or any of the guards for that matter. Who knows that they would do  
it they found him."

"Let's not worry just yet," Aladdin tried to affirm. "Let's look  
around. He's gotta be here somewhere."

"You're right," Jasmine nodded. So, Aladdin and Jasmine began searching  
the entire palace for any sign of Iago. They first went to the kitchen and  
dining hall, but to no avail. They even searched the treasure room, but  
there was no sign of Iago anywhere. They spent most of the morning looking  
for Iago, but by this time, they were both becoming more and more  
concerned. Back in Jafar's room, Aladdin sighed, falling into a  
slumped-over seated position on the bed. He placed his head between his  
hands, with his hands rested on his forehead as he faced the floor. He  
felt guilty that he had let Iago down and told him to leave.

Jasmine could plainly tell by the look on Aladdin's face how he was  
feeling, so she sat down next to him and nestled close to her "prince."  
She placed her small hands on his cheeks and lovingly pulled his head up,  
so his eyes were looking straight into hers.

"It's not your fault, you know," she gently said.

"But it is," Aladdin muttered, protesting her attempt at trying to  
comfort him. "If I hadn't told him to leave, none of this would be  
happening. What are we supposed to do now?"

Jasmine sighed long and hard. She knew what needed to be done; she just  
didn't want to do it. She didn't want to tell her father that Iago had  
sneaked into the palace after being told to leave. She didn't want to tell  
him that she had talked to Iago and told him that he didn't have to leave.  
How would he react? Would he understand?

"I hate to admit it, Aladdin," she began slowly, "but we can't do this  
all on our own. We need help, and because of that, I have to tell my  
father that Iago is missing. If the guards could help us look for him, the  
chances of finding him are much better."

"But, Jasmine," Aladdin protested, feeling concerned for Iago's  
welfare, "the guards hate him. They wouldn't help us, and well, I think  
the sultan is still not too fond about Iago. What if they tell us no?"

"At least we would have tried. Aladdin, if they don't help us, we'll  
look everywhere if we have to. We have Genie, Abu, and Carpet, too, you  
know. I know that my father is still very bitter toward the thought of  
Jafar or anything associated with him, including Iago, but he's a kind  
man, Aladdin. If he knows it's important to me, he will help us. Trust me.

"Of course I trust you, Jasmine," Aladdin weakly smiled. "You don't  
have to do this, you know..."

"I know, but I _want_ to do it. Aladdin, you saw something good in  
Iago, something that no one else, including me, could see. I believe in  
that. I also believe that there is good inside him, and he needs friends  
who would really be there for him. He never had that in his life, at least  
from what I can tell. We _have to_ to this," she firmly pressed.

"And we will."

Not knowing how she would find the words, Jasmine grabbed Aladdin's  
hand and held it tightly as they walked out of Jafar's room and toward the  
throne room. When they reached the entrance to the grand room, Jasmine saw  
her father sitting on the elephant-like throne at the head of the room.  
The older man took notice of his daughter immediately and smiled  
pleasantly, knowing how much joy she always brought to him. As Jasmine  
approached her father, she could feel the sweat dripping down her hand and  
into Aladdin's hand. She was nervous, plain and simple, for she feared  
that her father would not take kindly to hearing the news she had  
regarding Iago.

"Ah, my dear," Sultan mused, "good morning...or should I say afternoon?  
No matter, how are you? I was concerned, since I hadn't seen you yet  
today."

"Hello, Father," Jasmine practially peeped. "Um, I'm sorry...but  
there's something I really need to tell you."

Sultan could clearly see now that his daughter was nervous and a little  
afraid to talk to him. His gaze turned sorrowful, and he continued,  
"Dearest, you know you can tell me anything. What is it? Surely, it isn't  
that bad."

"Oh, Father," Jasmine blurted out quickly, "I'm so sorry...but you  
remember how Aladdin told Iago to leave? Well, he did, but he came back,  
and...and I found him sleeping in Jafar's old room last night...and I  
talked to him for a while...Oh, Father, please don't be mad. Anyway,  
he...he's gone now...and Aladdin and I have been looking all over the  
palace for him all morning. We can't find him, Father. Please, help us."

Jasmine's quick and pleading words startled the sultan a bit, and he  
paused for a long moment before he was able to say anything. "So, let me  
get this straight...Iago came back here, and now you can't find him? Well,  
I...I suppose I could have the guards help you, but, Jasmine, isn't this  
contrary to what Aladdin and you wanted originally?"

Aladdin stepped forward, "Sultan, I know what I said to him, but I  
didn't really mean it...Oh, it's so hard to explain. Jasmine and I talked  
about this for quite a while now, and we've made up our minds; we  
_want_ Iago to come back."

"Well, your intentions seem strange to me," Sultan couldn't help but to  
remark. "I must admit that I'm still not quite sure about that bird.  
Wouldn't things be much easier without him around?"

"Maybe," Aladdin practially whispered, "but easier isn't always better.  
I can't explain it, Sultan, but for some reason, we have to find him. I'm  
afraid he might be in some kind of trouble."

"Don't worry, my boy," Sultan reassured him. "We'll do the best we  
can."

"Besides," added Jasmine, "Iago wounldn't leave Agrabah, would he? He  
has to be here...if not in the palace, then in the city. He wouldn't dare  
leave behind everything he's ever known."

"You're right as usual, Jasmine," Aladdin couldn't help but to smile.

So, the search for Iago began. All the guards, the sultan, and Aladdin  
and Jasmine searched every square inch of the palace for the rest of the  
day. As it approached mid-afternoon, Genie and the others came to the  
palace and joined in. None of the guards were too pleased with having to  
search for a bird that they detested so much, but Sultan's orders had been  
quite clear. They were to look everywhere. As the day passed, Aladdin felt  
more and more guilty for having told Iago to leave a few days ago. The  
feeling that Iago was in trouble grew larger inside of Aladdin, until it  
literally made him ill. The sun was setting by now, and Jasmine was not  
only concerned for Iago, but also for Aladdin. They sat in Jasmine's  
chambers alone, for the others had returned to the hovel by now. Jasmine  
had a look of great concern etched all across her face as she stared at  
Aladdin. Aladdin sat there, staring blankly out into the air, focusing on  
nothing in his view. Butterflies were in his stomach as it knotted and  
churned fiercely, and he felt dizzy and confused. He fell back on to the  
bed with a heavy thud, letting out a long and deep sigh once he landed.

Jasmine tried her best to remain calm and optimistic, hoping only for  
the best. _He couldn't give up now, could he?_ Jasmine wondered about  
Aladdin. Aladdin had been so strong and so brave for his entire life, and  
so, why was he acting this way, acting as if he had been defeated once and  
for all? How could one little bird who they didn't even know that well  
have that effect on him? Jasmine wasn't quite sure herself, but she knew  
one thing. She loved Aladdin with all her heart, and it pained her to see  
him like this...so helpless and lost, much the same way Iago seemed to her  
that previous night when she had talked to him. How could two so very  
different souls be so much alike in some ways? The answers to all those  
questions didn't come.

"Aladdin," she whispered. His very name was all she managed to say,  
despite all the thoughts that were floating through her mind. He looked at  
her, looking deeply into her eyes with the intent of trying to find hope  
inside of her, for he felt he didn't have any. There was a definite  
longing in his eyes, one that yearned to be understood, one that told her  
that he needed someone to love him, and she loved him; she really did.  
Jasmine brought her arms slowly and gently to his body, wrapping them  
around him and drawing him into a warm embrace. Neither one of them spoke  
for many moments to follow, and as it neared midnight, Jasmine knew she  
couldn't keep Aladdin here any longer. He had to return to the hovel.

"Jasmine," he muttered, staring into her eyes, "thank you for  
understanding."

Jasmine smiled weakly, but she didn't say anything right away. She  
paused and simply said, "It's so late..."

"Yeah, I know...It's been a long day for everyone. Jasmine, I...I don't  
want to leave you."

"I'll still be here tomorrow, I promise. You need your rest, Aladdin;  
you've had a very rough day. We'll continue the search tomorrow. Who  
knows? Maybe he's closer than we think. Maybe he's hiding out somewhere in  
the city."

"Maybe," was all Aladdin could reply. He yawned and began to stand up.  
Before he turned to leave, though, he faced Jasmine one last time that  
night and looked straight into her eyes. He could see a glimmer of hope in  
them, and he smiled slightly and pulled her close. "I'm sorry, Jasmine.  
You have done so much for me, and here I am acting like this..."

"Don't apologize, Aladdin. You've done nothing wrong. Just remember one  
thing: I love you."

"And I love you." They kissed softly, and then Aladdin walked out of  
Jasmine's room. He headed straight out of the palace and out into the main  
street of Agrabah. As Aladdin walked back to his hovel, he stared up at  
the sparkling stars in the night sky. The peaceful night was such a  
contrast to the way he was feeling inside, anything but peaceful. He  
thought about Iago as he returned home, and he remembered that night not  
so long ago when Iago had risked his life for them.

_The lava boiled furiously in the fiery pit below. The towers of the__  
palace fell like sticks breaking in two into the lava, burning up the__  
instant they hit the incredibly hot temperature of the earth's boiling__  
interior. How anyone could survive in such unfavorable conditions was__  
beyond understanding, but the only possible explanation was this: A genie__  
can't kill anyone, no matter how evil he is._

_The evil of this genie couldn't be surpassed by anyone on earth. He__  
looked like a demon, with red skin and fierce, yellow eyes that displayed__  
the very core of his evil. He had become infuriated at those fools, or so__  
he called them. Those "fools" were the good guys, who had tried to destroy__  
his lamp, in order to destroy him, but from the looks of the scene, it__  
didn't appear as if they were succeeding very well._

_"Give it up, boy! You shall never have my lamp. There is no one to save__  
you this time!" the evil genie's voice boomed._

_But he was wrong... He didn't see the little bird who was behind him._

_"Hey, Jafar! Shut up!" Iago yelled with all his might as he flew down__  
to the lava pit toward the lamp._

_"Iago!" Aladdin gasped, shocked to see that he had come back._

_"Traitor!" Jafar bellowed at Iago, just as Iago clutched the lamp with__  
his feet._

_Jafar sent a bolt of lightning toward the parrot, but it missed. Iago__  
flew with the lamp clutched firmly between his claws toward Aladdin, who__  
was desperately holding on to a rock for his life. Just as he was about to__  
hand the lamp over to his new friend, that evil Jafar sent yet another__  
lightning bolt at Iago, but this time, it hit the poor, little bird,__  
sending him toward the rocky wall at the far side of the pit._

_"No!" Jasmine gasped from a distance, seeing the helpless form of Iago__  
hit the wall and then fall on to a rock below. The rock was barely above__  
the surface of the lava, and Iago was barely conscious._

_He tried to kick the lamp, which had landed nearby, off the rock and__  
into the pit, but he failed._

_Seeing this, Jafar mocked, "Good help is so hard to find these days,__  
isn't it, Aladdin?"_

_But this didn't stop Iago. He tried as hard as he possibly could to__  
focus his eyes on the lamp, and just when he thought he had it right, he__  
kicked his right leg again, sending the lamp into the fiery pit below and__  
knocking all the remaining energy from Iago's limp body._

_"NNNOOO!" Jafar screamed, but it was too late for him. He slowly__  
started to be destroyed as the lamp melted. While he was shrieking and__  
screaming uncontrollably, the rock on which Iago was lying was crumbling__  
apart. Aladdin managed to save him before it was too late, and as he held__  
the lifeless bird in his arms, he looked sadly at his little friend._

_*He risked his life for us, for all of the people in Agrabah,* Aladdin__  
thought. *He didn't have to, but he did... He doesn't deserve to be hurt__  
like this by that evil Jafar.* Aladdin's gazed turned momentarily to__  
Jafar, and Aladdin looked at him with such hatred in his eyes. Aladdin__  
hated him more than ever, but at least that horrible man/genie would be__  
gone forever. Aladdin climbed up the wall of the pit as it started to__  
close, and he didn't even have time to look as Jafar disappeared__  
completely. His one focus now was trying to save himself and Iago._

_Just as the pit closed, Aladdin escaped from the clutches of the__  
earth's molten core and rolled on to the grass of the palace gardens. The__  
sky returned to its normal blue tone from the red tone it formerly was,__  
and everything that had been destroyed by Jafar magically reappeared__  
unharmed. Everyone was happy again, but their happiness was abruptly ended__  
when they realized that poor Iago was not moving._

_"Iago," Aladdin softly mumbled, as he gently stroked the bird's__  
feathers._

_He didn't respond. Aladdin hugged Iago's lifeless body, feeling almost__  
as if he wanted to cry._

_"No," Jasmine said, almost crying._

_"But...but I thought a genie couldn't kill anyone," said Aladdin, not__  
knowing what else to say._

_Suddenly, Iago coughed. He opened his eyes and coughed again, "You'd be__  
surprised what you can live through," his voice, though weak and scratchy,__  
replied._

_"All right!" Aladdin exclaimed happily._

_"He's alive!" yelled Genie, turning into a rocket and shooting up__  
into the air._

_"Let's go inside," Aladdin smiled. "All the bad is over, thanks to__  
you." Aladdin looked Iago directly in the eyes. Iago tried to smile, but__  
it hurt to move any muscle on his body. Once they were inside the palace,__  
Genie magically bandaged Iago's wounds and cleaned the burnt markings off__  
of him._

_"If you don't mind," began Aladdin, "I'd like to have a moment alone__  
with him." Aladdin motioned toward Iago, who was sitting on a pillow on__  
the bed._

_"Sure thing, Al," Genie winked._

_"Of course, Aladdin," smiled Jasmine, kissing him on the cheek as she__  
left the room. Abu and Carpet followed._

_"Iago," Aladdin began, "how are you feeling?"_

_"A bit sore, but okay, I guess."_

_"Listen, I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done. You__  
didn't have to risk your life like that. What made you come back?"_

_For probably the first time in his life, Iago was speechless. He didn't__  
know how to respond to something like that. He had never been thanked or__  
done anything good in his life, and all of a sudden, all of this goodness__  
was so overwhelming for him._

_"I...I just had to," he replied weakly. "The truth is, Aladdin, I__  
couldn't bear to let him hurt any more people. He was a horrible person,__  
and I saw everything he did. If I didn't agree with him, he threatened me,__  
so after time, I just acted the way he wanted me to act. He manipulated so__  
many people into giving him whatever he wanted."_

_"I'm sorry," Aladdin said sadly. "I had no idea. Why didn't you just__  
leave?"_

_"This may be the only time you hear me admit this, but I didn't leave__  
him, because I was a coward. I finally had enough of him, so I left,__  
nevering expecting him to be released. The truth is, I didn't have good__  
intentions when I first came back to Agrabah, but when you saved me and__  
stood up for me, I was hit with something. You were the first person who__  
ever looked out for me in my life. No one had ever done that for me__  
before. From that moment on, something inside of me had changed because of__  
your kindness."_

_"Wow, you're right. You did change. What you did required more courage__  
than anything I've ever seen in my life, and I'll always remember that__  
about you. I don't think things are going to be easy for either of us in__  
the future, but what to you say? Will you stay and be our friend?"_

_"Friend," Iago smiled, tears forming in his eyes. "You mean it?"_

_"Yes, you are my friend, my very good friend."_

_"Of course I'll be your friend. You're already mine. Just one thing,__  
though."_

_"What's that?"_

_"Can you please not tell everyone else what we talked about in here?"_

_"Why's that?" Aladdin asked, confused._

_Iago smiled, slightly devilishly, "You know, just because I'm a good__  
guy now, that doesn't mean I can't keep my reputation. I can't be all__  
emotional all of a sudden around everyone. Maybe in time, but not yet."_

_"Your secret is safe with me," Aladdin nodded._

Those images faded from Aladdin's memory once he was done recalling  
the past. How could he have allowed himself to forget so quickly those  
words that only the two of them had shared? Aladdin was beyond angry at  
himself for allowing himself to forget Iago's words: _The truth is,__  
Aladdin, I couldn't bear to let him hurt any more people...You were the__  
first person who ever looked out for me in my life. No one had ever done__  
that for me before. From that moment on, something inside of me had__  
changed because of your kindness..._ Had Iago really said those very  
words to Aladdin just a few days ago? Indeed, he had. Aladdin was saddened  
more than anything. Iago had let Aladdin see into him, and it was only  
Aladdin that he had truly allowed inside, if only for a moment. Aladdin  
was more convinced than ever by this moment that there was more good  
inside Iago than Iago himself even knew.

_If only he didn't hate himself so much,_ Aladdin thought. _He's__  
caused himself all this suffering and pain for no reason. Why can't he__  
just see that he really is good? Maybe...maybe it's because I allowed__  
myself to give up on him and told him to leave. I was looking for the easy__  
way out._

Aladdin was angry again with himself, and as he finally reached the  
hovel and ascended the steps, he knew that he would go to the ends of the  
earth if he had to in order to save Iago...from whatever the parrot needed  
saving from.

Aladdin somehow managed to fall asleep that night, but his dreams  
weren't pleasant ones. Images of Iago being harmed flashed through his  
mind. As Aladdin and all of Agrabah slept that night, Iago sat awake in a  
completely different place, a very foreign and distant land.

Reena had taken Iago to a place that he had never heard of before. Even  
with all his travelling he had done with Jafar, he had never once heard of  
this strange and far off place. Known as the Land of the Lost Souls, it  
was a place somewhere between the living and dead. Those who inhabited  
these lands weren't physically dead, but they were spiritually dead, for  
they had long ago given up hope of trying to truly live life. They had no  
ambitions, no future, no hope, and most sadly, no love...or so that was  
the way they felt. How those unfortunate souls arrived there was based  
upon the old saying of "Misery loves company." They felt understood only  
by others who felt the same way, and so, because of the magic these lands  
possessed, those who lived there were enchanted with a dark magic to allow  
them to perceive those who lived in the lands of the living. Reena had  
taken a special interest in Iago's life years ago when she noticed a  
sorrowful, depressed bird who had never really had any friends. He seemed  
like the perfect target, and to reel him in would make Reena's years of  
following Iago's life worth her effort. That satisfaction of bringing  
other spiritually dead souls to the Land of Lost Souls was the only  
satisfaction anyone who lived there ever received.

When lost souls were first brought to these desolate lands, they often  
were confused about where their lives were headed in the future, although  
they had mostly given up on believing in themselves enough to get out of  
the cycle of self-destruction. Reena felt she had to reach out for Iago  
before it would be too late for her to pull him into this place. She  
thought he was doing him a favor, but there was indeed a malicious intent  
in her efforts, as were all the efforts of those who lived there. They  
were so bitter toward those who they saw living in the lands of the living  
that they would do anything to prevent anyone from staying there. Reena  
had used portals to see Iago as he lived out his life with Jafar, and she  
became concerned about the chance of getting Iago once Iago had actually  
stood up for himself and others and destroyed Jafar. The sadness that  
Reena felt was deep and daunting, for even though she outwardly convinced  
herself that she was happy, as did everyone who lived here, inside she was  
truly miserable. Everyone who lived here was so miserable, in fact, that  
they enjoyed pulling others into that very misery.

Iago couldn't sleep in the strange room he was staying in. Even though  
Reena told him to relax and be at home, Iago knew deep inside that this  
wasn't his home. _Agrabah,_ he thought. _Was that my home? Do I__  
even have a home, a place I can call my own? I don't know, really...I__  
guess this place is as good as any..._ Iago's vision blurred as he  
yawned. He had felt completely drained of life's energy ever since he had  
arrived here. He wanted to sleep and just forget about everyone and  
everything that had been a part of his life. They weren't worth  
remembering anymore, for remembering them would only cause him pain and  
frustration, feelings that he didn't want to feel anymore.

"It's not worth it," he muttered to himself. "What's the point? I'm  
here now, so I might as well make the most of it."

Iago closed his eyes and fell into a deep, unnerving sleep. It was that  
type of sleep that feels like one is falling into a bottomless abyss of  
nothingness, into a black hole with no way out. Down, down, he was going.  
What would stop him from falling once and for all? Hope.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The day before was gone... and a new day was here, a new day to search,  
not that it mattered. By this time, Aladdin was certain that it was a lost  
cause. Jasmine's reassurance had always made it simple to believe, until  
now. After all, how could Jasmine feel what he was feeling? She hadn't  
been the one to tell Iago to leave; it hadn't been her responsibility.  
However, it had been his. It had been his promise that he would never give  
up on Iago, no matter how hopeless the situation may seem. He had. He had  
not only believed Iago was hopeless, but he had told him so. In some ways,  
Aladdin couldn't blame Iago for not coming back. After what he had said...  
And that's what he kept telling himself, that Iago was angry, only angry,  
and rightly so. He would return; he had to... he just had to. If he didn't,  
Aladdin would never forgive himself, and he didn't know what he would do.

There were worse thoughts, thoughts that Aladdin fought to keep in the  
corners of his mind. Another lost cause... Jasmine had said it herself; Iago  
had never survived outside of the palace. He could never last longer than  
a day on his own, with no one to look after him. _Look how much trouble__  
he gets into with us around,_ Aladdin thought. Iago would never admit  
how much he needed someone to guide him, but Aladdin knew. He was somewhat  
like a child, still not sure what choices to make or what paths to choose.  
He had never survived on his own... The thought was realistic enough, and  
sometimes, reality was horrible.

On the other hand, reality was what brought Aladdin to face the day, to  
do it all over again, and give it one more try. There was too much at  
stake to give up hope now. Iago needed hope, and Aladdin was the only one  
who had ever given it to him. Iago needed him now; somehow Aladdin knew  
that, although he wasn't sure how. Only one thing was for sure; this was  
not the time to give up. If in time reality proved hostile, Aladdin would  
never really accept it, but he would try. He would never give up, not for  
Jasmine... not for Iago.

He shielded his eyes as he slowly rose to a standing position. The sun  
was warm on his bare chest and arms, and he took a moment to let it warm  
the cold feeling inside him. Strangely enough, it did. A night of sleep  
really had calmed him, had helped Aladdin to find some sense of security  
when everything seemed so lost. He watched the sun dance across the floor  
and tickle Abu. The sight was as comforting as the blanket of sun. It  
reminded Aladdin that all was not lost. There were others who were his  
responsibility, too, and they had turned our perfectly; they had enriched  
his life and made it more worth living when things seemed to be at their  
worst. The ending this time didn't have to be different. Still looking at  
the little monkey, he said softly, "C'mon, little buddy, let's get our  
minds off of this, at least for a minute or two." Aladdin knew that  
everyone had been affected by the loss of Iago, and it wasn't fair to keep  
them away from the everyday things that everyone needs. It wasn't fair to  
take away everything they knew and expect them to dedicate all of their  
day to only him. They needed a break, at least that's what Aladdin  
thought.

Abu squeaked quietly as he rolled over to look at Aladdin, who was  
standing directly above him, looking at the palace in the light of dawn.  
"C'mon," Aladdin repeated. "Let's do something just for you... and for  
everyone else."

This seemed to finally snap Abu awake. He leaped up from where he was  
lying and scampered over to Aladdin, yelping at him pleadingly the whole  
way.

"Abu, what's the matter?" Aladdin asked, confused by the hostile  
reaction he'd gotten. Abu just shook his head, ran up Aladdin's arm, and  
began tugging urgently on his vest. "What do you want from me?" Aladdin's  
voice was somewhere between anger and confusion. Abu continued to pull at  
his vest and chirp away, almost begging for something. The sun was getting  
higher now, signifying that it was getting closer and closer to noon. As  
he followed the sun with his eyes, it finally dawned on Aladdin that their  
time was short. He did not have time to argue with Abu over whatever he  
was upset about. "C'mon," he said for a third time, plucking the monkey  
from his vest. "If you want anything, it has to be right now!" Aladdin's  
annoyance was clear.

"No!" Abu yelled, the same annoyance clear in his own voice. He turned  
away from Aladdin, tired of trying to convey his point, thinking maybe  
Aladdin would never understand.

"Don't you want to do something?" Aladdin questioned again. For the  
first time, Abu nodded his head "yes." Aladdin sighed, wanting to be  
angry, but finding it hard to be so when looking into Abu's innocent  
stare. "Then what?" his voice was softening. He really did want to know  
what Abu found so important...

Abu proceeded to grab Aladdin's pant leg and drag him as best as he  
could toward the door. "Abu!" Aladdin gasped, shocked and barely managing  
to stay balanced on his feet.

"Hewlp," Abu chattered excitedly, "hewlp!" To most people, this would  
have meant very little, but Aladdin had known Abu long enough to realize  
what he was thinking.

"Awww... Abu, you want to help me find Iago?" He hadn't been expecting  
this at all. After all, Abu had been nearly ignored for days now, but  
instead of being angry and feeling sorry for himself, he wanted to make  
this easier for Aladdin; he was worried about him. What Aladdin didn't  
know was that Abu had been worried about Iago, too. Abu smiled a little  
shyly. He wasn't able to verbally communicate how he felt to Aladdin, but  
somehow, he was sure that Aladdin would be able to read what he was  
thinking.

"Abu," he began, now feeling just awful for the way he had treated his  
friend earlier. He let his now usually strained voice become soft and  
caring. "I really didn't want to do that to you. I'm so sorry; I just  
didn't know what I was saying or doing... or even really, who I was doing it  
to. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you, but everything has  
been so messed up lately. I just don't know what to expect from anyone  
anymore." He lowered his hand to the floor, and the little monkey rushed  
up to his shoulder.

"Aw," Abu muttered, as he patted Aladdin's head softly.

"You're a real pal, ya know that..." Aladdin started.

"Did you say 'pal?' You must be talking about me!" a loud, goofy voice  
suddenly broke into the heartfelt conversation. He noticed the serious  
look on Aladdin's face. "Oh, c'mon; you'll never get anything done on an  
empty stomach. Let's go get some breakfast. Ya know, it's..."

"The most important meal of the day? Yes, I know, Genie," Aladdin  
replied, if not a little sarcastically, then very. The genie's almost  
always smiling face drooped. Suddenly, Aladdin realized he was doing the  
very same thing he had done to Abu. It wasn't fair to treat his very best  
friends this way. Although he was growing more worried every moment with  
the passing time, he forced a genuinely cheery smile and added, "And  
you're right, it is. Let's go get a quick breakfast. Then it's back to  
searching, right, Abu?" Abu grinned and nodded in agreement.

"Of course," Aladdin finished with the words they were all thinking,  
"I'm starting to miss that little bird."

Days had passed. Iago wasn't sure how many. It was always dark now,  
always cold, so unlike Agrabah. _No wonder Reena is so pale..._ Iago  
pondered as he looked down on his own brightly colored feathers. _I__  
wonder how long it will be until they have faded, too..._ Iago loved his  
feathers; the colors made him stand out; he'd never met anyone else with  
feathers like his, not that he hadn't seen other birds or even other  
parrots for that matter, but he had always felt there was something  
special about his own feathers. Not anymore... He shivered with that  
thought. No one here was special or unique; he'd noticed that in the first  
few hours. Everyone was so dull and colorless, both in personality and  
appearance. His new family never smiled; in fact, their expression never  
changed at all. Their eyes were not empty, though, although Iago wished  
with all he had that they were. The eyes were tortured with years of  
sadness, but there was no longing to escape it. It was much too clear that  
long ago they had given up any chance of ever escaping this never-ending  
cycle of tears and shame. If there was one thing that he did have in  
common with them, it was the sadness found in their shame. There was so  
much that he couldn't really escape either... but something inside him was  
different. He wanted out. If only he knew how, and if only he would have  
admitted it...

He had spent the last two nights, or rather, what he had assumed were  
nights, thinking, trying so hard to forget what he had finally gained in  
Agrabah, and now, what he had lost. That was gone; he tried to tell  
himself that. Every night his heart ached with the longing to be home...  
home? Was he really calling Agrabah "home?" If he was, then what was this  
place? It wasn't home... and that's all he knew. He hadn't had the heart to  
cry; he was still trying to make the best of a choice, his choice. Now he  
was alone in a darkened corner. The others were not far away, only a few  
feet from him, wandering the emptiness that they so claimed they were  
blessed with. They wouldn't notice him; they never did, and the darkness  
seemed so inviting... He felt a trickle of a tear spill down onto his beak  
and wished with all his heart for Jasmine... for anyone to hold him as he  
trembled.

A sound... a sound from another corner... from another room. In the dark,  
it was hard to tell exactly where it was coming from, but it was  
definitely there. Iago was taken aback; the silence that had deafened him  
was shattered by a soft whisper of a sob. He felt his breath catch in his  
throat, almost frightened by the sound of another life, a life that scared  
and alone, wanting nothing more than to change that fateful choice it had  
made. However, that was not what Iago found in the noise. He found reason  
to pull farther into his corner, into his isolation.

The sound was approaching, not quickly, but slowly, closer and  
closer...until it was almost upon him. Footsteps, soft and light, tapped  
across the ground he assumed was dirt. With that, the sobbing became more  
apparent. The louder it became, the more obvious the feeling grew that she  
was in great pain and fear and that she needed someone, just as much as  
Iago did. "Is someone else here?" a voice trembled. Iago wanted to answer;  
really, he did. At the same time, though, he remembered what the last  
stranger had brought. What if this resulted in the same outcome? What if  
it was worse? Struggling to keep himself quiet, he continued pacing his  
breathing to make it harder to tell he was crying. "Pl-please," the voice  
asked again with yearning as honest as Iago's. "I-I need someone..." her  
last words were pleading, full of wanting and hurting.

Iago couldn't help himself for one more second. He remembered the pain  
in his own voice during that last night in Agrabah... at home; he remembered  
how much he had wanted only for someone to listen to him and accept his  
crying, not question it. He knew how he felt when Jasmine had comforted  
him... and how he felt now. Maybe he could feel like he had that night.  
Maybe...if only he would answer... "I am here," he drew in a long breath  
and answered in a tone so quiet it was barely audible, his voice thick  
with tears. "Are you okay?" It took a moment for him to get up the courage  
to ask that question. He wasn't sure how the person would react; he wasn't  
sure if he wanted to know, but he had to ask. He had to know for once;  
this was not a choice.

The silence returned for a moment, lingering, again deafening. Iago  
wondered if his question had been too direct, if he had ruined any chance  
he had to find someone in this bleak world who would have any idea of what  
he was feeling. But then, the voice found itself again, weak and frail,  
but there, and that was all that was important. "No," and the words  
disappeared into sobbing again. The voice was now clearly that of a child,  
a female child, a child who was terrified.

Iago had never been one to comfort those around him; he'd never known  
how. It seemed, though, that it was being thrown upon him, and there was  
no way to avoid it. Gathering all the courage he had won during this last  
traumatic week, he prepared himself to say something; he just didn't know  
what. The voice was right in front of him now, so it wasn't difficult to  
find the way to it. His eyes had adjusted to the dark, and the form was  
now beginning to come into view. It was then that a thought came to him.  
Maybe he didn't have to say anything. Jasmine had said so little to him  
that night, and yet, it had meant so much. Maybe all she needed was  
someone to sit quietly and just listen and to be supportive. _Why__  
couldn't I do that?_ He could...

His wings shook as he flew the short distance to her shoulder. There  
was something special when he perched there, nestling into her chin-length  
hair. He moved his head up and down, massaging her cheek and feeling warm,  
wet tears run down from her eyes onto his feathers. Instead of being a  
rock, the one she could cling to, he let himself continue crying, letting  
his tears mix with hers. The girl didn't mind. Through her tears, a soft  
smile was forming, and together, the two forged a special bond, neither  
knowing the other's name, just somehow knowing their feelings were the  
same. The scene went unnoticed by the other occupants of the room, and it  
continued for minutes on end.

The tears ran out; they couldn't last forever. The tears had healed  
wounds in both their souls, and even in this solemn realm, the healing was  
beginning. "Uhhhh... I'm Iago," Iago stuttered, his voice still thick. He  
really had no clue of what to say, but felt that he to say something, and  
his name was all he could really think of to say.

"Iago," the child repeated softly to herself, as if pronouncing a word  
new to her tongue. "Iago, that's a very special name. I've never heard  
that." Iago was a little hurt at the comment about his name. It showed in  
his features. Apparently, the child was also accustomed to the darkness;  
she could see them perfectly. "No, but it's such a wonderful name." Her  
voice seemed sympathetic and regretful. Of course, Iago knew from her  
voice that she would never do anything to hurt him or anyone else for that  
matter, and suddenly, he was the one regretful for hurting her when she  
was already dealing with so much in her young life. He thought about how  
much it hurt him when people jumped on him for something he hadn't meant  
in the way they had interpreted it.

Hanging his head, he said, "Listen, I didn't mean to do that."

She cut him off and looked up into his shadowed eyes, "My name is  
Saree."

Iago smiled, "Saree... I've never heard that either, but it's very  
pretty." He wasn't used to complimenting people. The concept was new to  
him. He wasn't even sure if he had done it right. What if he had insulted  
her like she had him?

But the child, or rather, Saree, just smiled in return. "It's nice to  
know someone, anyone here."

Iago had to know now. The child was so sweet, so innocent, and she  
didn't deserve this. Maybe he didn't either. Maybe if just for once, he  
would trust, everything could end once and for all. "Why were you crying?"

Saree just looked at him with wide eyes. "I was thinking the same about  
you." Iago was surprised that she was as direct as she was. He'd never had  
anyone be so open to him before, but then again, the conditions now  
weren't as they had been before. Everything had been turned upside-down,  
and maybe he could be more open now, too. The rules had not been made, at  
least, not yet.

"I just needed to. There was no one here; there's never anyone here.  
Even when there are people around, I'm really alone. I've always been  
alone," he struggled to keep his voice from breaking. He expected the  
little girl to leave then, to not want to hear any of it. No one ever had.  
It was too hard for others to comprehend and really face it, the way  
things had once been. But this child, she was brave and sincere. Nothing  
about her was afraid to face what Iago was saying. Something about the  
understanding in her smile made him realize she knew... she knew exactly  
what he had been through, and she had seen.

"You're not alone now," Saree answered, her voice much too wise for her  
young age. It saddened Iago in a way to hear the same feelings in her  
voice. He had always thought he yearned to hear the pain he had felt from  
anyone else, but hearing it from this child, it just managed to pull at  
his heart and wish more for her happiness than his own.

In another way, though, his soul felt relief to hear someone say those  
words Jasmine had: _You're not alone now._ "Thank you, Saree; I don't  
want to be alone, but now you have to answer me. Were you alone? Why were  
you crying?"

Saree's innocent eyes suddenly became blank and empty. "I thought I had  
found my way. I was lost in this never-ending sea of people. They were  
everywhere, but I was just as alone as you were. Everyday people came in  
and out, and they saw me. They looked in my eyes and saw my tears, but  
they never saw me. I lived in an orphanage for seven years, and everyday  
one more child was taken and one less was left. But then someone found me.  
I was found; I was blessed."

"Glorious," Iago finished, "glorious." Maybe in those last words,  
things did become glorious... maybe nothing had really changed. The answer  
wasn't clear, but something else was; things could be glorious. All had  
not been lost, and in the darkness swirling with lost souls, in that one  
corner, things were glorious as two lost souls found one another.

Back in the land of the living, things were beginning to take shape.  
Darkness was approaching once more, with the tiny group of searchers no  
closer to finding Iago than they had been days ago at this time. Hope was  
dim. Jasmine's eyes had become tired from lack of sleep, not only because  
she was worried about Iago's fate, but for her love's as well. She watched  
Aladdin's sleeping form lying restlessly on the hovel floor, and at that  
moment, she realized that the search was becoming more and more hopeless  
with each passing minute... with each passing second. How long had it been  
now? Two, three days? She must have been the only one left awake, the only  
one left pondering at this hour. Midnight... that stroke of midnight brought  
upon the third day he had been missing. Her heart sunk with the rise of  
the moon to the midnight sky. Someone else was awake. In his lamp, Genie  
heard Jasmine's sigh. Slowly, half-asleep, he rose out of his golden lamp  
and flinched at the light burning in her lantern. "Princess?" he asked,  
yawning, "what are you still doing here?" He looked down at a Mickey Mouse  
watch. The ears popped up and down while it announced in a cartoon voice,  
"Midnight, do you know where your mouse is?" "It's midnight!" he tried to  
whisper, while still managing to sound shocked.

"Yes, Genie, I know," her voice was far away and quiet as the desert  
night. "I'm, I'm just so worried. I don't know what to do. I can't sleep;  
I can't leave him here. He's so afraid."

"Oh, Al will be fine, Jasmine; he's just been through a lot in these  
last couple of days. We all have," Genie tried to convince her. She didn't  
appear to find any solace in his words, serious as they seldom were. He  
focused on doing anything to help her get through this frighteningly  
stressful time. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No, Genie..." Jasmine stopped in mid-sentence. It couldn't hurt to ask...  
Maybe, there was something he could do. He was their last chance, the only  
one who could change the way things were now. "Maybe," she pondered aloud.

"Maybe what?" Genie asked eagerly. Jasmine was quieted in a thought for  
a moment. "Jas, please tell me. I want to help you. I'll do anything."

She looked into his eyes and for once didn't see Genie as goofy or  
irresponsible; he truly wanted to see a change in Jasmine, in everyone, in  
what was happening. "I want you to find Iago. Not only for him, but for  
Aladdin, and as selfish as this may sound, for me." The Genie's eyes grew  
wide, and strange as it felt, he had nothing to say in reply. How could he  
tell Jasmine he couldn't? She was counting on him in a way she never had  
before. She had only known him for a short time, and she trusted him with  
one of the most important aspects of her life: Aladdin.

"Jas... Jas, I-" the Genie struggled to say what he knew was true.

"Shhhh..." she cut him off. "Don't be that way, Genie. You have to  
believe, because no one does anymore. If you can't, then no one can.  
Nothing will ever be the same; Aladdin will never be the same." Her eyes  
pleaded for an answer he couldn't give, "Please, Genie, please. I need  
you."

He shook his head, knowing what he should say, but not having the heart  
to say it. "I can try, Jas. That's all I can do. I can try."

"Trying is all we have left," her words were heartfelt and weighed down  
with sadness. "It's all we have."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Genie sighed, long and deep, unsure of what to say next. He looked at  
Jasmine straight in the eyes, trying to find hope in them, but there was  
next to none. He looked over toward Aladdin and smiled weakly, being just  
the slightest bit glad that his buddy was asleep. Genie wanted so badly to  
be able to help them. After all, seeing them in this state of being for  
the last few days was enough to bring anybody down.

"Jas," he whispered, barely audible, "my powers aren't what they used  
to be..."

"Genie, I know...but we have to do something. We can't just stay here  
and wait...forever."

Genie just nodded and tried to think of something that would help find  
Iago. He hadn't really known the parrot very well, but he knew that  
Aladdin had befriended him before any of the others. Because of that,  
Genie knew that finding Iago was important, not just for Aladdin, but for  
the rest of them as well. How one little bird could have had this effect  
on them was almost unbelievable. It almost seemed like a dream that they  
would wake up from and realize that none of this was really happening, but  
it was more real than anything at that very moment. Genie _had_ to do  
something...and quick.

"You were the last person to talk to him," Genie began slowly. "Jas, is  
there anything you can tell me? Anything he could have said that maybe  
would give us a clue as to where he might have gone?"

Jasmine tried to remember the night she had found Iago sleeping in the  
palace. She recalled bits and pieces of the words they had exchanged, but  
her memory failed to remind her of anything significant.

"He never said anything about leaving," Jasmine muttered, feeling  
hopeless. "He was so mad at himself, believing that he could never really  
change to being truly good. I tried so hard to convince him overwise, but  
he was so stubborn. He refused to believe me...Genie, he told me that he  
wasn't worth it. He sounded so hopeless...so confused...so...lost."

"Lost?" Genie asked.

"Yes, lost...like he didn't know which direction to go in his life. He  
didn't want to show emotions, but yet, he wound up spilling tears out like  
you wouldn't believe. Yes...lost..."

"Lost," Genie repeated the word again very slowly. He rubbed his chin  
as the word ran over his lips and through his mind. "No, couldn't be..."  
he muttered aimlessly to himself.

"What couldn't be?" Jasmine stammered in a pressing tone.

"Have you ever heard of the Land of the Lost Souls?"

"No," Jasmine replied. "What's that? Where's that?"

"It's a place where those whose souls have died but bodies still live  
wind up going. They aren't truly living their lives out in the lands of  
the living, so they are taken to this barren place by others who already  
inhabit the desolate place. If someone is there long enough, he can never  
return, for he will reject any outside influence of the living world. As  
for where...I'm not sure."

"Do you seriously think Iago would be there?" Jasmine asked hastily. "I  
just don't understand...He couldn't have possibly gotten to that stage of  
hopelessness, could he?"

"Only he knows the answer to that question, Jas. C'mon, we'd better  
wake Al and the guys up. If Iago is there, we shouldn't be wasting any  
more time here."

Elsewhere, Iago was still on Saree's shoulder, finding the smallest bit  
of comfort in her presence. Even though this place couldn't be more  
pitiful, Iago knew one thing: It was better to share the pain with someone  
else who understood what that pain felt like than to be stuck all alone,  
forever enduring that horrible pain gnawing at the heart and soul. No one  
else took notice of the two lonesome figures in the corner of the room;  
that is, until Reena stepped inside that place. She looked menacingly over  
at Iago and Saree and charged quickly toward them.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" she barked. "Saree, you  
little brat, leave him be!"

Saree cried and ran away, cowering in the corner. Iago looked at Reena  
with a startled expression on his face and asked, "What did you do that  
for?"

"That little brat is always looking for trouble," Reena explained,  
still angry. "You should never, ever do what you just did. That is  
forbidden here."

"Um, excuse me? Forbidden? Listen, Reena, you're the one who dragged me  
here. Why didn't you tell me this place would be so blasted depressing? I  
mean, come on...What is everyone's problem around here?"

"Like you don't know. Please, Iago," she spat sarcastically. "Everyone  
here is the same...lonely and lost from that cursed living world. They  
don't care about people like us in that world, Iago. Everyone there is too  
caught up in their own lives and own affairs to be concerned for ones like  
us. We must never, ever take comfort in each other, though. We don't  
deserve to know what comfort is. Besides, how can anyone who is so  
hopeless offer comfort? It doesn't exist."

"You don't make any sense," Iago mumbled. "Just leave me alone."

Reena smiled almost evilly. "Now you're got it. Alone...very good. I'll  
gladly leave you alone. Things are best that way; just remember that. No  
one else can hurt you when you're alone."

"Too late," Iago said quietly to himself as Reena walked away. "Too  
late."

_No one else can hurt you when you're alone._ Iago wanted to crush  
those words under the very anger that dwelled in his mind, for he knew  
that was a lie. He had been too hurt to believe that being alone was  
really any different than being around others. It might not make sense to  
most people, especially to those who are content in their lives and know  
the feeling of having loved ones around, but his entire life had been  
lived alone. Truly alone. Jafar was hardly a man would one could ever  
consider a friend, so Iago had been alone that whole time of his life,  
which composed most of what he could remember from his lifespan. He had  
felt hurt and alone, yet he didn't know if he was causing himself that  
pain or if it had been caused by Jafar and others who had mistreated  
him...or perhaps that pain was the result of Iago letting them hurt him.  
That was the only conclusion his desperate mind could reach. He was  
forever searching for an answer to his suffering, a reason that would make  
all the pain go away, but no answer ever brought that change or that  
satisfaction.

His only "friend" he had make since arriving in these hopeless lands  
had been driven away by the one who had brought him here. Had he allowed  
Reena to take him away from his only home he had ever known? Or had Reena  
forced him to come here? He just didn't know anymore. What Iago failed to  
know as well was that at that very moment in time, he had friends who were  
worried about him, ones who wanted so badly to find him and bring him  
home.

Back in Aladdin's hovel, a small oil lamp was burning. The dim light  
illuminated the room just enough for everyone to see each other. Abu sat  
on Aladdin's shoulder, yawning and looking a bit annoyed at having been  
woken up in the middle of the night. Aladdin was staring down at his  
hands, wishing that where they would have to go wouldn't be the truth.  
Genie knew he had to find out where this place was, so he was fumbling  
through his lamp for a map or a book or something to help lead the way.  
Aladdin sighed, shaking his head at Genie's attempts to help out.

"We don't have time for this," he stated to Jasmine, with a bit of edge  
in his tone.

"Well, Aladdin, do you have a better idea?" Jasmine retorted, feeling  
offended by his attitude.

She turned away from him and looked out the window. Agrabah appeared  
beneath them as being so placid and at rest. Their uneasiness was a bleak  
contrast to the atmosphere all around them. Aladdin then realized that his  
words had seemed a bit harsh, so he came behind Jasmine, placed his arms  
around her body lovingly, and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like  
that. I'm just worried..."

"So am I, Aladdin, but we have to keep focused here."

"I know, I just feel like I'm doing no good just sitting here like  
this, waiting for something...for an answer that may never come."

Jasmine looked longingly into his deep brown eyes. She saw her own  
reflection there and realized that she was a part of Aladdin now, and what  
hurt one of them would indeed hurt the other. "It's not your fault,  
Aladdin. Don't blame yourself. I know you're upset...just like the rest of  
us, and that's completely understandable. Look, we'll find a way yet."

Aladdin couldn't help but to smile at his princess. She always knew  
what to say in rough situations. Aladdin recalled their first date on  
Carpet, and thinking of Carpet, he looked over toward the rug lying on the  
floor. "Carpet!" he exclaimed.

The carpet became animated and full of life, jumping up into midair at  
the sound of Aladdin's voice. "What?" asked Jasmine. "Carpet?"

Genie popped back out of the lamp and looked with confusion toward  
Aladdin. "Al, what about Carpet?"

"That's it," Aladdin said excitedly. "Don't ya see? Carpet would know  
where the Land of the Lost Souls is. He knew where all those destinations  
were when we went on our first date, Jasmine, so he must know where this  
place is, too."

Carpet "nodded" and whirled around them with excitement. They didn't  
waste another minute, so they hopped on Carpet and took off for the Land  
of the Lost Souls. Genie mused, "Who would have thought that a throw rug  
could know what I looked so hard to find?"

"You tried your hardest, Genie, and thank you," Aladdin said sincerely.  
"We're on our way now. With any luck, we'll find Iago there."

"He will be there," Jasmine added reassuringly. "He just has to be."

Yes, Iago was there, but he was beginning to feel like he didn't belong  
among these lost souls. A part of him was still lonely and confused, but  
he wanted to fly away from these people as well. They didn't understand  
either. No one in the world would ever understand him. What he didn't  
realize, though, was that this feeling of desperation was felt by  
_all_ who inhabited these lands. They all wanted to run away and be  
completely alone, but they were now forced into living perpetually in the  
Land of the Lost Souls. Amidst all his confusion, however, he remembered  
Saree and felt sorry for her. He flew around until he found her, nestled  
in another corner. Landing on her shoulder, he said, "Hi, Saree. I'm  
back."

She looked up from her previous downcast mode and peered into his eyes  
with her own empty eyes. "Reena is right, Iago," she muttered. "It's  
better for you to just leave me alone. I deserve to be alone."

"No, that's not true, Saree, and you know it," he pressed. If only he  
could believe those words...not just for Saree, but for himself. "I  
thought we were friends."

"Friends?" Saree weakly asked. "I never had any friends my whole life.  
Why should I have any now?"

"Because...everyone needs friends." Iago couldn't believe what he had  
just said. Here he was, trying to convince this child that she needed  
others, but yet, he refused to believe he needed the exact same thing.  
Those words cut him deeply. _Everyone needs friends._ Was that really  
true, even for Iago? He just didn't know. He felt ashamed all of a sudden,  
especially for trying to offer words of comfort to someone else when he  
didn't follow his own advice. "You know what?" he continued, realizing his  
own demise. "You're right, who needs friends? Certainly not me. We don't  
deserve them."

With that, he flew away, leaving Saree alone once again and forcing  
himself to be alone once again. _Why does it have to be like this?_  
he thought. _It's all my fault; I let Reena bring me here, and now that__  
I'm here, I just can't force myself to believe in anything worthwhile__  
anymore. What's the point? This is my fate, so I might as well live it__  
out._

Little did Iago know what his fate was to be. At that moment in time,  
he couldn't have been more wrong about his fate. His friends were on their  
way, and with every approaching mile they flew, they came closer and  
closer to saving him from the clutches of being lost forever.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Aladdin's heart beat as if every moment was his last. He didn't know  
where he was going. He didn't know where he was; he hadn't for a long  
time. Maybe he was closer to the truth than he had been; maybe he was  
farther away than ever. But maybes weren't what he needed right now. He  
needed to be reassured that what they were doing was right. Aladdin had  
always trusted Genie, although he hadn't known him very long, but now  
everything depended on something he wasn't even sure of, and Aladdin just  
didn't know if Genie really had any idea of what he was talking about. Of  
course he _wanted_ to help; Genie was his friend... but if he could,  
that was another story.

Light should have been illuminating the eastern skies by this time.  
Still, they remained dark and menacing, mimicking Aladdin's thoughts. His  
mind was somewhere else, and he wasn't paying much attention to his  
surroundings, but Jasmine was. She shivered and wrapped her arms around  
her shoulders. Sighing wistfully, she remembered a time only days ago when  
Aladdin would have wrapped her in the comforting embrace only he could  
give. Now, the look in his eyes was far off, not with the others as they  
rushed across the desert sands.

Abu squeaked with as much sadness and longing as Jasmine had. He, too,  
shivered slightly as he made his way into her lap, looking for something,  
anything familiar. She forced a smile as she looked down on him, but the  
fear and exhaustion bore clear on her face. They pleaded silently to one  
another for an absolution, both knew might never come. "It's getting so  
cold her out here," Jasmine commented, trying to draw attention away from  
the hopelessness she knew she shouldn't feel, but did.

Aladdin turned his head slowly to meet her eyes. As tired as Jasmine's  
appeared, Aladdin's were more so. "It is?" he replied, his voice monotone.  
"I guess I just didn't notice."

"Oh, yes, it is!" said the Genie in high falsetto, at the same time,  
transforming into a stewardess dressed in a puffy bright blue skirt and  
matching vest "We are now flying ten feet above the Arabian desert. If  
you'll take time to look to your left, you'll see sand, and here's an  
exciting change of pace, to your right, sand!"

"That doesn't answer why it's so cold," Aladdin snapped.

"Well, since you asked... the cold air is courtesy of "˜The Land of the  
Lost Souls, a horrible, cold, desolate place. Tours are available at 1:00,  
3:00, and 5:00. And don't forget to stop at the gift shop..."

"You mean we're getting close?" Jasmine cut Genie off, her voice  
excited for the first time in days. Aladdin's face, in turn, jumped at  
Jasmine's voice. He felt his spirits soar; he could only hope they would  
not fall once again. He usually would have been more skeptical of Genie's  
games, but he needed something to hold onto, and this was all he had.

"Well, judging by that deep, black portal just a few feet ahead, I'd  
say we're pretty darn close!" the Genie exclaimed. All turned in awe at  
the sight that loomed in the distance. With that, a whipping wind began to  
churn around them; the air became noticeably heavier, weighed down with  
pain. Sounds of suffering could be heard, moaning, weeping, and sobbing.  
Taken aback by the sudden change of atmosphere, the tiny group huddled  
close together, fearing what they knew they would see. He can't be here.  
For once, Aladdin pleaded with himself not to find Iago. _Things can't__  
be this awful. They can't_. But they were.

How long does one have to be alone before realizing what true  
loneliness is? How long does one have to be alone before forgetting? How  
many times must one lose everything before remembering? One should have to  
alone for an eternity for all three to happen to them... but Iago hadn't.  
What felt like an eternity in reality had only been around ten years, but  
ten years is a long time when that makes up most of one's life. Iago knew  
loneliness; he knew it well, but he had never experienced loneliness in  
this way. He had always wished to know what it was like to have someone to  
love him and care about what happened to him, somewhere where he could be  
accepted. Now that he had experienced that, the loneliness stung more than  
it ever had before. He had given up what he had; he had caused himself  
this pain; _he_ had ended the only happiness he had ever known. It  
was him. There was nothing left to his life, to him, than what he had now.  
He had thrown away the only chance he would ever have.

Those were the mildest thoughts that played on his mind that final  
morning in what he had finally come to accept as his home. Reena hadn't  
bothered to check on him in hours. He was glad to have it that way. If he  
had to be here, he wanted to be alone, where he wouldn't be reminded of  
memories of his life prior to this time. He didn't want to remember Jafar;  
his fears would be greater than they already were. With everything  
weighing down on him, the last thing he needed was another reminder of how  
little he was actually worth. He already wondered about the value of his  
own life. He didn't want to be reminded of Aladdin and the others. The  
only saving thought he had left was that no one had ever cared about him  
anyway. If he truly believed that, he wouldn't wish for anything more than  
he already had. When he thought of them... what he had done for them... what  
he now knew he would do again... he knew he had so much more to wish for,  
but wishes were stupid; they didn't come true. Maybe for some, like  
Aladdin, but not for him, never for him.

One thought raised above all the rest, the one he would never admit. He  
wanted to be saved; he needed to..._he would_. Something about him  
made him different from the other lonely souls that roamed these halls. He  
didn't only feel the pain; he _experienced_ it; he believed in it,  
and most of all, he believed there was more. If not for him, then for  
others, but there was more, something he couldn't quite reach. Maybe he  
never would, but it was there; he could see it when he closed his eyes,  
when he fell deep into a dream. Into a dream... he could hide in a dream; he  
could find solace in the fact that he had no control over what took place  
in a dream. In a dream-world, the only world he believed in anymore, he  
could thrive. His dreams were nightmares, but so was his life. So, he  
slept. It was all he could do anymore to conceal the pain he felt.  
Nightmares are not painful; reality is.

There was something living, breathing, in that world he no longer  
trusted. In a world of tricks and lies, there was something to be trusted...  
someone, for entering that world of souls so long dead was a tiny group  
that wasn't dead at all. They were more alive than anything, with hopes  
and dreams and the ability to see beauty even in these torturous shadows,  
even in those who tortured themselves. Beauty is easy to find; one just  
has to know where to look... and they did.

There is something in us all that cannot help but be afraid of what we  
do not know and could never understand. Even those of us who are true  
heroes feel it. What is important is not that we don't feel it, but rather  
that we choose to look past it and realize what means so much more than  
our own fear. Today, this wasn't as simple as it always had been before.

Blackness rushed toward him. Darkness had enveloped any trace of light  
minutes ago; his eyes still hadn't adjusted to the sudden plunge of gloom.  
Aladdin couldn't tell what was ahead of him, or even, what was almost upon  
him. The wind had become louder, deafening almost, blocking out any sound  
that may have given him a clue as to where they had fallen.

After the dive into the portal, everything became fuzzy: the unexpected  
loss of illumination, the drop into nothingness. With nothing to tell him  
of the time, Aladdin didn't know how long they had been falling, and he  
didn't dare ask. When the screaming had died away, Aladdin had lost track  
of his friends. Now, he knew that if he spoke, the worst answer could be  
silence. He had control over nothing, a realization that wasn't at all  
comforting. Something about this plummet had been strange, wrong somehow.  
Where was Carpet? Why hadn't he caught them as always? _Come to think of__  
it, it doesn't feel as if I'm really falling at all..._ Aladdin realized.  
It was more as if he were floating. Although the wind sounded as if it was  
still rushing past them, he couldn't really feel it. He couldn't feel  
anything. Suddenly, a new thought entered Aladdin's mind; he was  
weightless, at least physically he was. For the first time in his endless  
descent, he attempted movement. Slowly, he lifted his hand; he was  
completely surprised at how easy it was. The movement took no effort at  
all.

Another part of Aladdin was heavier than ever. His heart felt like lead  
in his chest. All the pain he had left behind, memories of his childhood,  
the scorns and taunts of others, took hold of his feelings; they now had a  
life of their own. He couldn't control that anymore either. _Iago is__  
here..._ As much as Aladdin didn't want to admit it, he had to. _This__  
is how he felt. He didn't have control anymore; there was nothing he could__  
do. But there was something I could have done. I didn't then, but I'm__  
going to now._

_Smack!_ Pain jolted into Aladdin; light flashed before his eyes.  
He winced at the sharp twinging that had suddenly entered his body. For a  
moment, he didn't bother to open his eyes. The falling had stopped, and  
one thing was for sure; he wasn't weightless anymore. Trying to orientate  
himself, he felt around the surface he was now sprawled out on. Sore, but  
happy to once again be on solid ground, he warily opened his eyes, afraid  
of what he would see, of what he wouldn't.

Even in this desolate, dark land, relief and warm joy spread over him  
as he realized that he was surrounded by Jasmine, Abu, Genie, and Carpet.  
"Aladdin!" Jasmine exclaimed, the same relief rang clear in her voice.  
Unfazed by the fall, she took Aladdin in her arms and whispered to him,  
"My only fear was that I had lost you." He fell into her arms, exhausted  
by fear, overtaken with relief.

"As was mine," his voice trembled slightly, but it was strong. It  
hadn't been strong in a long time. Jasmine's eyes filled with tears as she  
stroked his cheek. They had made it... they would make it. They were so  
close; they couldn't lose now. Everything seemed almost flawless. Jasmine  
had no idea where to look, but it didn't matter. Iago was here; she could  
feel it.

"We can do this, Aladdin," she reassured him, although she doubted she  
needed to.

"We can," his smile was genuine and truthful. Everyone nodded, smiles  
breaking out on their faces as well.

"You bet we can, Al!" Genie agreed, as faithful and optimistic as  
always.

"And what do we have here? New guests?" suddenly Reena's harsh voice  
echoed off the dark walls. Aladdin looked from side to side... nothing.

"Who's there?" he questioned urgently. Jasmine squeezed his hand. Hers  
were cold and shivering. "It's okay, Jasmine." He whispered, although he  
found himself shivering, too.

"Not new guests," the voice continued, sending more fear into their  
souls with each word. Reena had a way of doing that. "They're much too  
optimistic for that..." She stopped for a moment. "If not new guests... then...  
oh, no! It can't be!" Reena growled.

A white light flashed across the room, blinding the few occupants.  
"Aladdin!" Jasmine gasped.

"Just hold onto my hand; don't let go!" Aladdin breathed hard, fighting  
to keep his eyes closed against the glow.

Reena sighed heavily. "It can't be," she repeated. "Oh, open your  
eyes," she said disgustedly to the group. "It's all over now; there's  
nothing to be scared of," her voice remained caustic. Aladdin was the  
first to open his eyes, one at a time, not sure what sight he would be  
greeted with. The others followed his example, all except for Carpet, that  
is.

She appeared human in most ways, engulfed in white light. Her hair, her  
skin... but there was something so bitterly inhuman about her... her eyes.  
Those empty, cold eyes started back at them, and they knew. They didn't  
have to ask. She was the one, the only one capable of doing this to Iago.  
He had come so far, but something about those eyes told Aladdin that she  
had the power to take him back. "What did you to him?" his voice burned  
with anger, resentment, and fear.

"To who, boy?" she feigned innocence. Aladdin couldn't take the  
mocking. Everything had been too much for him in these past days. His  
whole life seemed as if he were being mocked, by fate, by everyone.

"You know who I'm talking about!" tears burned in his eyes.

"Oh, you're Iago's little friends, aren't you?" she continued her  
merciless mocking. "Don't you realize he's happy here? This is where he  
wanted to be. If you were really his friends, you would want him to be  
where he's happy, where he fits in. We can give him something you never  
will be able to. We understand, and that's what he needs. He doesn't need  
friend; he needs others, others like him."

Jasmine felt something for Iago she never had before. She had to  
protect him, protect him the way Aladdin had. "He did not want to! He'd  
never want this. I know him... I know him and... and I "" I care about him!"  
Strangely, Aladdin felt a slow smile spreading across his face. His  
princess cared about his friend. Friend, Iago was his friend, and now, he  
was Jasmine's, too.

"It was his decision! I gave him the choice, and he chose me! He didn't  
choose you. He knew you didn't care, so you can stop pretending now. Stop  
pretending, because all you'll do is hurt him," Reena's voice was almost  
pleading as she noticed the saddened looks on their faces, looks of pity.  
"Don't you understand?" she continued, her voice rising. "Love isn't real.  
It doesn't exist, not for you, not for him, not for me, not for anyone!"

"Reena," Jasmine's voice was also pleading, but it was softer, more  
understanding. "Love does exist. It did for Iago." She stopped for a  
moment. "It really did. And it can for you, too."

That same look entered her eyes as it once had that morning with Iago.  
"No, it can't. It didn't. You _think_ you know what love is; you all  
do. But, the more you lie to yourself, the more pain you're going to  
cause, and not just for you, but for others. You hurt Iago by lying to him  
the way you did, and you don't even care. You only care that you can  
continue on in that fantasy world, because you can't take reality. You're  
afraid of reality. Well, it's here now. You can't ignore it anymore. Face  
it, Aladdin; face it, all of you!" her voice was frantic.

"I'm not going to, and I'm not going to give up... not again. I'm going  
to get Iago back! He's not staying here; he's coming with us; he's coming  
home!" Aladdin retorted, feeling optimism that he hadn't since this whole  
ordeal had started. Iago was coming home, home where he belonged.

"Home is where the heart is," Reena smirked, "and Iago's heart is here  
now. It's empty; it doesn't feel pain anymore. He doesn't feel pain  
anymore. Isn't that paradise, Aladdin? Iago _is_ at home, in  
paradise!"

Jasmine marched up to the partially transparent image of Reena. She  
looked her straight in the eyes and announced, her voice bolder than she  
felt, "This is not paradise. I am in paradise, and Iago deserves to be  
there, too!"

"Yeah," Genie said, just as boldly. "No one messes with birdie-boy but  
me!"

"No one messes with our friends!" Aladdin found his place beside  
Jasmine as the others gathered around Reena. They looked at her empty eyes  
and saw an empty soul. It wasn't always empty, but that was long ago.  
There was nothing, nothing but the pain she said she couldn't feel.

"Well, then, we can't have this, can we?" her voice turned sugary. "Two  
choices: you can choose to leave. You can forget Iago. You can move on.  
Everything will be the way it was before. The other is not nearly as  
pleasant. I can keep you here. I can show you what love does to you. I can  
show you the pain love causes, and you won't ever want to love again.  
Choose wisely, for the choice will determine your future."

"You will never prove that love is not real. It is more real than  
anything," Aladdin truly believed what he was saying as he pressed  
Jasmine's hand against his own.

"It is everything," Jasmine finished for him.

"So, I see you've made your choice," Reena laughed softly to herself.  
Her laugh was a sound so evil, so empty of what made one human; it sounded  
as if it did not come from within her at all, but from a place so dark  
even she could not reach it. "So be it. I was fair; in fact, I was more  
than fair. I gave you the chance to escape the truth, but now, now you  
will see the light. And you'll have to live with what you see. You'll have  
to live with it forever. I understand you are ready?"

"What choice have we?" Jasmine spat.

Reena chuckled again. "As of now, you have none, I guess."

"Then we are ready, Reena," Aladdin took off where Jasmine had left  
off. "But I have one question for you: Are you ready to be proven wrong?"

"Don't worry; I won't be"

"But if you are?" Jasmine again took the reigns.

"Then," Reena continued hesitantly, "then Iago is yours; he is free to  
go."

Aladdin was petrified, but he had to ask. He couldn't go through this  
not knowing what he was up against, what he could lose. "And if you win?"

"Then you will join us here in the Land of the Lost Souls. It's not as  
bad as you think. Believe me, you'll get used to it," Reena spoke as if  
she knew she held the winning hand in this deadly game.

"We won't," Aladdin's voice was low and menacing, "we won't." Aladdin  
knew he couldn't lose. Everything depended on this. If they couldn't prove  
Reena wrong, Iago would never escape, and neither would they. He knew  
better than to think anyone could really love it here. Aladdin could see  
it in Reena's empty eyes, hear it in her flat voice. Iago wanted to be  
home, where he was needed. He would be.

Reality hit with a sudden flash of light... light? He hadn't seen light  
in so long. However, the light was the last thing on his mind. Nightmares  
shattered. Iago felt something pull at his heartstrings, something he  
hadn't felt since he left Agrabah. Suddenly, he wasn't alone. Half the  
weight of the pain he was bearing was gone. Someone, somehow, was bearing  
it with him. For the first time in so long, he felt that he could take it.  
He was still as lost as ever, but a tiny piece of the map had been given  
to him. If he would only follow that, he could survive. He knew that this  
wasn't forever; the pain wouldn't last. Other things would. Friendships  
would. They would never die. He couldn't give up on his friends just yet.  
They would save him; he had to believe. He didn't have a reason to; he  
didn't know why he did, all he knew was that he did believe, and with  
belief comes absolution from pain.

His pain was not being shared with just one. It was being shared with  
five: the ones who cared about him. At that moment, they could see into  
him, into all the things he had so strived to keep secret. At that moment,  
they were fighting to get him back, partially within themselves, partially  
within Iago.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

No human can judge just what the outcome when the soul is locked up  
tight, though hidden, also infinitely wondrous and beautiful. The soul,  
that inner essence inside all of us is where love resides. The heart and  
the soul are as one when there is peace of mind, and this is why love is  
real, more real than anything, in fact. Reena simply refused to see that,  
for her vision was provincial and had been long since blinded by the evils  
of the world. She, like everyone who inhabited the Land of the Lost Souls,  
was being led down the beaten path of deception, and the further away they  
moved from the truth of realty, meaning love, the more they believed with  
all their minds that love didn't exist.

Aladdin found himself clenching his hands into tight fists, so tight  
that his knuckles were turning white. He wanted to tackle Reena and  
everything she stood for right in that very spot, but he knew better.  
Brute force was not the answer, so he tried as best as he could to focus  
his thoughts on proving her wrong once and for all. What could he say that  
would make her see the nonsense of her ways? How would he really convince  
her that everything she held in the highest and utmost esteem to be true  
was in fact utterly wrong? These questions lingered in his mind and  
challenged him to search for the right words to say. Could it really be  
that hard to convince someone who simply didn't believe in love that it  
was indeed a very real thing?

"You stand here and you say that love isn't real, Reena," started  
Aladdin slowly, "but if love weren't real, how could it cause you pain?  
You don't just feel pain for no reason."

"Oh, you're such a fool!" she lashed back immediately. "Love as you  
would believe it exists isn't real. You believe that love is a wonderful  
blessing, something that leads people to things like friendship and  
marriage, but let me be the first to say that it is nothing but nonsense.  
Love is a curse, a horrible curse that plagues humans into believing it's  
such a good thing, and then once love gets its ugly arms around your neck,  
it strangles you, draining you of all life."

This would prove to be harder than Aladdin had previously thought.  
Jasmine looked at him with great concern in her eyes, and she faced Reena  
just then, saying, "Reena, love _is_ real. How else could Aladdin and  
I have fallen in love like we have? We were meant for each other. Our  
pasts couldn't have been more different, but here we are together, and our  
love is definitely real."

"You are still in the early stages of 'falling in love,' spat Reena  
indignantly. "You will see as time passes that 'love' is a curse. What  
will happen when one of you dies? The answer is simple: The one left  
behind will be miserable and not want to go on living. If you hadn't felt  
this 'love' for that person to begin with, you wouldn't have to feel so  
much pain in the aftermath."

Those very words hit Aladdin right where it hurt. He thought of his own  
mother's death when he was nothing but a little boy, and he turned to  
Jasmine, wanting to cry on her shoulder. Jasmine, however, had the same  
desperate look on her face. She, too, had lost her mother when she was  
very young, and unlike Aladdin who could hold back the tears, she began to  
cry. Aladdin put his arms around her shaking body, trying to bring her  
comfort. He glared with hatred at Reena and practially yelled, "How can  
you be so heartless?! Look what you've done to her!"

"Me?" Reena barked. "Oh, please! Tell me, Aladdin, what would you know  
about that pain caused by love? Oh, do tell! Tell me why she's crying and  
why you _want_ so badly to cry! Go on, tell me!"

"You have no right to treat them like this!" Genie interrupted, getting  
right in Reena's face.

"Back off, Genie," muttered Reena. "This involves them, not you."

Aladdin continued to glare at Reena with pure contempt glowing in his  
eyes. "I know it hurts to lose someone you love. Both Jasmine and I lost  
our mothers when we were just kids, but that doesn't mean that we gave up  
and forgot to keep living our lives. Death does hurt those left behind,  
but the important thing is to keep on living...and loving."

"You're nothing but a fool if you think you can simply go on living  
after something like death, Aladdin," Reena continued. "Let's get back to  
the point of all of this, though. What is it about Iago that you think  
makes him worth 'saving?'"

Aladdin took a deep breath. This would be the moment that would  
determine the outcome. Would they win, or would Reena win? Whatever the  
outcome, Aladdin would know that he had tried his hardest. He took a step  
forward and looked at Reena straight in the eyes and began speaking.

"You don't know Iago like we do," he stated firmly and slowly, "and I  
admit, even we don't know him that well. You see, we haven't been friends  
for a very long time, but I can tell you one thing. Iago had a  
life-changing experience not very long ago. He turned from his old life  
and risked his very life to try and finally find a better one..."

Aladdin continued to explain for the next few minutes about Jafar and  
how he had been a terrible man. He also told her that Iago had at one time  
been with Jafar, but Reena had a bored look on her face.

"You don't know, do you?" she mumbled. "I already know all this! I've  
been watching Iago for quite some time now, so what you're telling me is  
nothing new, but no matter, go on..."

Aladdin continued, "Well, we were all doomed to die just then, but Iago  
came out of no where, and _he_ risked his very life for us. He didn't  
have to, but he did. I don't know what brought him back there that  
evening, but I think something inside of him had changed. He suddenly  
realized that the only way he would ever have a better life would be to  
face his greatest fear and conquer the pain associated with it. Jafar was  
the source of all that fear and pain for all those years of his life, but  
he finally had the courage to face it. Courage is rare, and true courage  
is what it takes to save those you care about, and Iago possessed it all  
along. How else would he have been able to defeat Jafar and save all our  
lives? It's because of the goodness of knowing what love and friendship is  
that he was finally able to overcome those nightmares and save us. How  
else could someone prove they care to the point of risking it all to save  
someone else? It's love that does that, Reena, and you're wrong about  
Iago...all wrong. He may not show it, but he's known it all along. Love  
_is_ more real than anything."

Reena's empty eyes turned glassy, and there was a sudden longing in  
them. She found herself turning away from Aladdin and the others, afraid  
to face them and whatever it was about them that frightened her. She had  
never met someone like Aladdin, someone who was so optimistic about life,  
even when his own life had proven difficult and unfair. She didn't want to  
admit that she was defeated, but the look of defeat was written clearly  
all over her pained face. "You...you may come see him," she barely  
whispered.

Aladdin and Jasmine was almost shocked by her words. "What?" they both  
responded in unison.

"You've...you've won," she whispered sadly. "You've proven me wrong.  
There's nothing more I can say to argue with you...I didn't know that  
about Iago...about how he risked his life for all of yours. I guess I  
didn't see it because I didn't want to see it. I don't know...but anyway,  
what's done is done. Come with me now."

Aladdin felt relief inside, but he also was apprehensive about seeing  
Iago again for the first time in days. How would Iago react of them  
showing up like this? Did he even think they would come looking for him,  
let alone actually find him? It may seem impossible, but it was all too  
possible. What seemed impossible that day was being challenged and proven  
to be very possible...all because of a wondrous gift called love.

After all that had come to pass those past few minutes, Carpet finally  
came up to Aladdin's side and nudged him with affection. Abu, who had been  
sitting on Carpet the whole time when Aladdin was talking to Reena, jumped  
up onto his friend's shoulder and chattered happily. Aladdin simply smiled  
at them, knowing that they were happy about the outcome of the situation.  
Aladdin felt Jasmine take hold of his hand and squeeze it gently. The  
genie was in the back of them, wanting so badly to turn into a huge party  
favor and celebrate, but he knew it wasn't over yet. They had to wait and  
see how Iago would react.

As they walked along for what seemed like forever, Aladdin peered  
straight ahead of himself into the mist. It was so thick that it was  
impossible to see five feet in front of them. There was something  
downright disturbing about this place, and Aladdin knew that the sooner  
they were able to leave, the better. For some reason, he was afraid that  
Reena might change her mind, but then again, he had seen the tears in her  
empty eyes. That thought saddened Aladdin and the others. What could have  
possibly happened to Reena to make her so hopeless and sad? He feared to  
actually find out the answer to that daunting question.

After many minutes had passed, they came to a desolate,  
pathetic-looking house. Reena turned the doorknob slowly, and as the door  
creaked open, Iago lept with anxiety. He hadn't expected to be disturbed  
like this, and when he saw Reena standing in the door, he feared the  
worst. She always made him feel even more hopeless than he already felt,  
if that were even possible, which it was. He had been slumbering, dreaming  
of nothing but blackness and utter desolation, for his thoughts had grown  
so numb recently that his mind wasn't able to produce any coherent  
dreams...good or bad ones.

"Why-why have you come here?" he wimpered. "Can't you see I just wanna  
be left alone? Is that too much to ask?"

His voice sounded desperate and pleading, and those words and the tone  
in which they had been spoken broke through Aladdin's heart. Were those  
really Iago's words? Had they come too late? _No,_ Aladdin reminded  
himself sternly, _it's not too late. We proved to Reena that Iago knows__  
that love is and that love is real, and if that happened, surely we aren't__  
too late to convince Iago the same thing._

"There are some people here to see you," Reena spoke rigidly. As she  
finished speaking, Aladdin and Jasmine stepped around her and revealed  
themselves to Iago. The parrot couldn't believe his eyes. Among the fog  
and darkness, it was hard to see clearly, so Iago thought his eyes were  
deceiving him.

"Am I dreaming?" he asked himself. "Or is this some sick joke you're  
playing on me, Reena?" he followed up, addressing her directly.

Before Reena even had the chance to answer, Aladdin said, "No, Iago,  
this is real. We are really here."

Iago paused before asking, "But why? Why are you here? I don't  
understand..."

"We came for you," Jasmine said gently. "We've been so worried about  
you ever since, ever since -"

"Ever since I told you to leave," Aladdin finished sadly. "Iago, I  
don't know what else to say but this: I'm sorry. I didn't want you to go  
away forever and wind up so lost like this...I never thought it would end  
up this way."

Frustration and confusion displayed all across his face, Iago turned  
away from them, trying his best not to cry. "You think you can just come  
here and make everything all better?" his words accused them. "_You_  
told me to leave, so where was I supposed to go? Sure, Jasmine  
_tried_ to convince me to stay, but I guess that just wasn't meant to  
happen. With as miserable as this place is, at least I don't have to think  
about anyone or anything that would cause me any more pain. In  
Agrabah...that's just not the case. Give me one good reason why I should  
go with you."

Reena couldn't help but to smile maliciously at Iago's words. Maybe she  
had been weak and allowed these strangers to come too far. Perhaps it was  
still not too late to force them to leave once and for all. It seemed all  
too obvious to her one-track mind that Iago didn't want to leave.

"Are you saying that you'd rather say here?" Jasmine asked, feeling a  
sense of pleading in her voice.

"Where else should I go?" Iago shot back. "There's no place where it's  
worth living for me, but it might as well be here than anywhere else."

Aladdin stepped closer to Iago to see him better just then, leaving  
everyone else standing by the door. He knelt down on his knees and came  
face to face with him. Aladdin could see more clearly than ever that Iago  
was distraught and in more pain than he could bear. He needed to find a  
way...to say just one thing that would lead Iago to see the truth.

Iago went to turn away from Aladdin, but Aladdin stopped him by placing  
his hand on the parrot's back. Startled, Iago cowered into a little ball  
of feathers and mumbled, "Please, just go away. I don't deserve this."

"Iago, listen to what I have to say," Aladdin said barely above a  
whisper. No one else could hear him but Iago. "I was wrong before when I  
told you to leave. That was the stupidest thing I've ever done in my  
entire life. I know I can't force you to come back home with us, but let  
me tell you this: Life without having you around just wouldn't be  
complete. I don't know what it is about you or how to even explain it with  
human words, but you are so worth having around. You refuse to believe in  
yourself because of the horrible past you've had to deal with for so many  
years, but you are above that. Don't let your past scare you into  
believing that you'll never amount to anything in the future. You've  
already more than proven your worth to me...to everyone here. You have it  
in you to do great things; that's the potential of being a true  
hero...Stop beating yourself up like this and learn to forgive yourself."

Iago sighed long and hard. He didn't want to believe Aladdin's words,  
but there was something in them that he had always wanted to hear his  
entire life: that he was worth something, that he was important, that  
there was indeed good inside his heart. Not knowing what else to say, Iago  
merely asked, "Why me? Why are you so good to me?"

"Because," Aladdin found himself smiling, "you are worth it. We all  
need friends, and no one knows that better than you. You, Iago, saved our  
lives not so long ago, and that, my friend, is one of the greatest goods  
in the world that someone can do for another. The only way anyone can find  
the courage to risk their life for their friends is because of love, and  
that is the complete truth."

"Love...had I really known what it was, what it is? I never realized  
that I could ever know what love is, let alone feel it. All this confusion  
is the result of blocking it out for so long. I guess I was just afraid of  
what would happen if I let myself show my feelings...I don't know, and  
it's hard to explain, but I think you know what I mean..."

"I do know; we all do. Now, please...Iago, come with us...come back to  
your home."

"Yes, Iago," added Jasmine coming to Aladdin's side, "it's been long  
awaiting your arrival."

"I guess now's as good as any time," Iago mused, still not fully aware  
of what had just happened.

"Heh, home is where the heart is!" laughed Genie. "C'mon, let's roll!"

"Hold on just a second, Genie," Aladdin replied. He walked over to  
Reena and looked at her straight in the eyes. "Reena, thank you for  
letting us bring Iago back where he needs to be. You know, you don't have  
to stay here forever. Why don't you come with us?"

For the first time in years, Reena was being asked what she thought  
impossible. She smiled weakly and cast her eyes down, "Iago may not belong  
here, Aladdin, but I do...I'm not ready to leave, but maybe...one day.  
Something I never thought possible just happened here, and for the first  
time in my life, I've seen just how powerful love really is."

"Very well, Reena. Maybe one day we'll see you again. If you ever make  
it to Agrabah, look us up." With that, Aladdin turned to Iago and asked,  
"Are you ready?"

He stood up from the pillow he had been sleeping on for so long and  
flew to Aladdin's shoulder. "Yes," he simply replied.

"Great!" Aladdin exclaimed, jumping onto Carpet. The others joined  
them, and Carpet flew off. "Let's go home. To Agrabah, Carpet!"

As the sun set, Carpet flew back toward Agrabah, that city in the  
desert, that rose among thorns, and that diamond among rocks. Finally,  
they were going home.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Darkness had fallen over the tiny hovel, almost causing it to lose its  
place in the endless sea of night. Night could calm the bustle of the  
marketplace and the sounds of everyday life, but it could not eliminate  
life altogether, for life is not the impact we make on the world outside  
our seemingly insignificant realm, but the impact we have inside ourselves  
and inside those who mean more than the world to us. If thoughts could  
have penetrated into the tangible world, sounds would have filled the  
room; sounds of memories from years gone by, from just days ago, and  
sounds of things long lost being found once again. But they couldn't... and  
all was quiet. The quiet seemed strangely appropriate in some small way;  
it was a tribute to the memories of previous days, maybe even to things in  
the future than no one could quite see yet.

To Aladdin, sleep just didn't seem right. He knew he needed it; he knew  
the other did, too, but it didn't matter. Sleep would not come until he  
forced himself to do that one thing he felt he should have done in the  
first place to avoid all the pain that had been caused. There was  
something he had to say, although he felt at a loss of what it was. He  
placed his head in his hands for what felt like the fiftieth time this  
week. Aladdin felt so relieved, and yet, so unnaturally afraid. Now that  
he had the second chance he had begged for, what would he do with it?

He looked at the assumedly sleeping figure of Iago and sighed. It was  
funny how much Aladdin had figured out about him, and Iago didn't even  
know it. He knew what Iago didn't want him to know, and in some way, he  
didn't even want to know. Thinking of the similarities between Iago and  
himself was depressing. They reminded Aladdin of his own unhappy life and  
made him realize that although, like Iago, he had once wanted someone to  
suffer with him, he now wanted only happiness for those around him. He had  
to say something to let Iago know how he felt... but what?

Iago shivered in the desert air. Of course it was cold; it always was  
at night. So, why was he shivering now? _What am I afraid of?_ He  
felt almost compelled to yell it out loud. _I should have run out of  
chances long before now. I've made so many stupid mistakes, never  
bothering even once to think about the consequences. Still, every time I  
do, someone bails me out, someone who cares about me... these people right  
here._ Suddenly, Iago realized something he never had before; he  
realized how many times in one day he said the word _I,_ thought  
about only _himself._ It took a moment for this thought to make the  
sense it really did. He had thought about others very few times in his  
life. It was always _him, his problems, his memories, his fears._ It  
had never before occurred to him that others had suffered just like him.  
And as it did, it stung. There were others to worry about. He had spent so  
much time feeling sorry for himself, he hadn't noticed that Aladdin had  
been trying as hard as could when he too was having a hard time accepting  
himself. _Iago was afraid of something, but not for himself... for  
Aladdin._ There was something he had to say, but thank you just wasn't  
enough...

Suddenly, both voices whispered at the same moment, "I need to say  
something." Each was taken aback; neither had expected the other to  
answer, let alone speak at the exact same time.

"What do you need to say?" Aladdin was the first to answer.

"No, you go first," Iago replied quickly, suddenly feeling a little  
foolish for ever daring to make the previous statement.

Aladdin was quiet for a moment, focusing on what he would say next. The  
last thing he wanted was another outburst like the other conversations he  
had tried to initialize. "Iago, I don't want you to yell at me," Aladdin  
began, "this is something I really need to say, and if you don't want to  
answer, you don't have to; just listen, okay?"

"Okay..." Iago said slowly, a little nervous about what Aladdin was about  
to spring on him. He told himself to take whatever it was in stride,  
because he didn't deserve another chance. _Just listen... _he made a  
deal with himself right there: whatever would happen in the future, he  
would never run away from it again. He would face whatever there was for  
him, because it was clear: running got him nowhere but lost.

"I just want to know one thing. Are you alright?" Aladdin's voice was  
soft and compassionate.

"I - I'm fine..." Iago began.

Aladdin stopped him, "When someone says "˜fine,' they never are. Answer  
me honestly. You know I'm your friend; I would never say anything to hurt  
you. So, just give me an honest answer. Are you okay?"

"Uhhh..." Iago stammered. Part of him still wanted to lie, to avoid  
bringing something so personal up, but the part of him that was afraid of  
losing everything he had outweighed that greatly. "Sort of."

"Now we're getting somewhere," Aladdin smiled a tiny smile in the dark.

"Aladdin, this may not make any sense, but I don't think anything will  
ever be "˜okay.'" He stopped to gather courage for what he was saying.  
"Things are a lot better than they were before... you have no idea how much  
better. Sometimes things just don't make sense. I don't know if I'm right  
or wrong. I don't know how to act or what to say. I don't know what I can  
overcome and what I can't."

Strangely enough, Aladdin continued smiling. "You have no idea how much  
I _do_ understand what you mean."

"The thing is, I know you know a lot more about me than even I know,  
but I just don't like to talk about a lot of things, even to you," Iago  
tried his best to explain.

"You can talk to me about anything," he knew better than to pressure  
Iago, so his words were not forceful, but rather, made it clear that he  
could talk if he wanted to.

"I want to; I want to more than anything. I - I just can't, not right  
now."

"Why?" Aladdin continued his soft questioning.

The thought dawned upon Iago... why? What was it that made it so hard to  
talk about the things he wanted to so badly? Not even knowing what he  
would say, he opened his beak to begin talking, "I'm not ready," was all  
he managed to get out at first, but when Aladdin did not answer, he  
continued. "I want to be ready," his words were earnest, and he did not  
even have to think as he said them. "I hope to be soon, but just not yet.  
Sometimes, things are hard to think about, so I block them out. I'm happy  
now, so for just a little while, I'd like to keep it that way."

"I understand," Aladdin said kindly. Really, he wished Iago would share  
more, but this _was _more than he ever had before. "You're okay,  
though, right?"

Iago found himself smiling as Aladdin had. It was the strangest feeling  
to have someone ask him how he was feeling and really mean it; it was  
amazing. He wanted to keep things this way forever if he could. Didn't  
others deserve the same treatment? The word _I_ had crept into the  
conversation so many times once again. Knowing this made Iago's choice for  
what he would say next easy. "I want to know something. Are _you_  
okay?"

Aladdin didn't know what to say in return. Had Iago actually asked if  
_he_ was okay? "Ummmm..." he fumbled with his words, "ummm... I'm fine,"  
he started.

"Aladdin," Iago interrupted, "you're always telling me to be honest.  
Doesn't the same rule apply to you?"

Aladdin stopped to think about himself for a moment. He had always  
expected others to tell the truth about how they felt when he wanted to  
help, but had never thought about what he would say if he were ever asked  
in return. "Well, yeah, I guess it does..."

Iago grinned, "There, ya see, was that so hard?"

Aladdin met him with the same smile. "Was that so hard? Um, I don't  
think you should be talking, Iago."

Iago just continued to smile. He knew Aladdin was right. "Well, answer  
me..."

"I think I'm going to be fine, Iago; in fact; I think I'm going to be  
great," it was the first time Aladdin had ever really answered that, the  
first time anyone had really ever asked, and he wanted the answer to be  
honest... it was. "Iago, these past few days have proven something to me. I  
always believed there was something special for everyone here, but I never  
had reason to believe. I just did, and as time went on, I couldn't help  
but wonder if maybe I had convinced myself of something that just wasn't  
true. I mean, what could someone like me do to change the world? What was  
my purpose even? Then I met Jasmine, and I got a whole new look at  
everything. I thought there was no way anything could ever make me believe  
in love and purpose more than that, but then, when I thought nothing could  
make things make more sense than they already did, someone changed all of  
that for me. Do you know who that is?"

Iago shook his head "no," feeling a little overwhelmed by all Aladdin  
was sharing. He didn't seem at all afraid to share every feeling he had  
ever experienced, everything he had ever been through. For Iago, sharing  
something like this would have impossible; he just couldn't bring himself  
to even think of opening up as Aladdin did, although sometimes he would  
have given anything to be able to. Something inside him knew that someday  
he would have the strength to do it, too. He already had gained the  
strength to love, something he had before thought he would never have;  
someday he would gain the strength to share everything he felt... someday.  
"Iago," Aladdin continued, for once not realizing everything that was  
going through Iago's mind, "that was you. You know, I don't like to admit  
it, but we all judge. When you first came back, I just couldn't accept the  
fact that anything about you had changed... I didn't even think that was  
possible."

"Aladdin, stop," Iago said. "I didn't even believe I could change.  
There is no way that I expect you to have believed it either. You know  
what I did, and so do I."

"But that isn't the point," Aladdin continued. "I judged you, but then,  
suddenly I was just given this responsibility... you had saved my life. I  
had to trust you, so I told myself I did. The truth is that I didn't. I  
wanted to trust you, but believe it or not, Iago, sometimes I don't want  
to trust either. It's easier not to. But sometimes someone does something  
so amazing that you have no doubt in your mind that you have to trust  
them, because you know what they did was for you and that they would do it  
again. You know it."

"I knew it, too," he mumbled to himself.

Aladdin heard his private comment. "What?"

Iago smiled, "I knew for once; I trusted myself."

Aladdin felt like he had everything else in the world left to say, but  
he knew Iago was exhausted, and he was, too. So, he decided to end with  
something special he had thought of the day before. "I just want you to  
remember one thing, Iago: "˜love what you have now and hope for better days  
in the future'..." he stopped for a moment. "There needs to be one more  
thing, but I don't know it is just yet."

Iago smiled secretly to himself. "I do." Both Iago and Aladdin found  
sleep came to them much more easily when their consciences were clear, and  
they had said what they had pulled at their feelings all week. The cold  
night passed quickly with nary a sigh from anyone sleeping in the hovel.  
Soft dreams played on their minds, something Iago had longed for what felt  
like forever.

When the morning dawned upon the city, first bouncing off the steeples  
of the palace and meandering its way along the walks and corridors, no one  
noticed the heat of the day replacing the refreshing coolness of the  
night. It had been too long since that beautiful sleep had touched them, a  
different type of sleep, the kind one wakes up from believing that the  
morning is beautiful and that it really is the beginning of a brand new  
day.

As she opened her eyes for the first time that morning, Jasmine was  
experiencing the same feeling of comfort and was glad for that. After all,  
these had been the first few days of her relationship with Aladdin, and  
instead of being sweet and romantic, they had been stressful and  
worrisome. Still, even knowing that their present trials had come to end,  
she knew this somehow wasn't it. There was something more. Everything had  
changed. She had realized it that night as she sat on her bed wondering if  
what she had done was right. Now, it was clear: her to choice to listen to  
Iago couldn't have been more right. Maybe at the beginning of this ordeal,  
Iago had been Aladdin's problem, but everything had changed in that one  
night. He wasn't Aladdin's problem, and he wasn't hers... he was their  
friend. Knowing that had brought her to realize something else. Friendship  
doesn't end when a problem is solved; friendship is there forever, in good  
and bad times. There is always need for a friend.

With that in mind, Jasmine shoved back her covers and prepared herself  
for the coming day. She had something special in mind.

A half an hour later, Jasmine was standing outside the doorway of the  
hovel. "Are you guys awake yet?" she whispered, doubting any of them were  
awake yet. "Guys?"

"Yeah..." Aladdin mumbled from the corner, not bothering to turn to face  
her.

"Listen, Aladdin, I know it's early," she began quietly.

"Oh, no, no, it's not too early," he yawned.

"Yes, it is, and I'm sorry, but I just wanted to come get one of you,"  
she explained, still remaining quiet, because the rest of the hovel was  
still in a slumber.

"As long as we leave quietly, we won't wake anyone up; don't worry," he  
said, taking her hand in his own.

"No," she replied, "I know you haven't seen me much in the last couple  
days, and I promise I'll make that up to you soon," she planted a tender  
kiss on his cheek. "But this morning I want to talk to Iago."

Aladdin smiled broadly. "Jasmine, you have no idea how happy that makes  
me. I find it amazing that the two of you could become friends against all  
odds, and I think an influence like you will be wonderful for him. I'm  
just so lucky for my love to be so understanding and willing."

She wrapped her slender arms around his waist and whispered into his  
ear, "You have amazing judgment. If you see good in someone, then I know  
it's there." Moving away from him slightly, she said in a tone slightly  
above a whisper, "Iago?" For a moment, she didn't receive an answer.  
"Iago?"

"Huh?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Jasmine wants to talk to you, Iago," Aladdin explained.

"Why so early?"

"Because I want to show you something," she said, a bit of mystery  
edging her voice.

"Okay..." he answered, unsure of what he was agreeing to.

A warm feeling came over both Jasmine and Iago as they finally came  
upon the "˜mystery spot.' It was a place of beauty and light, with bright  
colors emanating from every corner. Every shadow even had its own  
true-to-life beauty. It was a familiar place, a place they had both seen  
often. Jasmine had always seen its beauty. When life was filled with  
sadness, and she was wary of happiness and trust, she had always found  
solace here. For years, it had been her home, and she had grown to love  
it. On the other hand, Iago, although he had witnessed it nearly as many  
times as Jasmine, had never noticed beauty in the flowers or skies or  
golden shadows. He had never before opened his eyes to let such beauty  
penetrate into the heart he was so determined to hide. And so, although  
everyday he saw what Jasmine had, he had never experienced it. More so, he  
had never wanted to. But now... things were different. He wanted to  
experience the things everyone around him did; he wanted to love them,  
even if he did not want to admit it.

Iago hadn't spoken since they had entered the palace garden, and  
Jasmine was determined to initiate some type of conversation. What they  
would say didn't mean anything; the importance of it all was that they  
would talk, and they would listen, and they would trust. "Does it look  
different to you?" she asked cautiously.

"Look different from when?" he replied, although he was almost certain  
of when she was talking about.

"Remember the conversation we had out here just a few days ago? I told  
you that maybe the garden looked different because you were seeing the  
world through a new set of eyes. Well, maybe that wasn't true then, but I  
think it is now."

Iago thought about it for a moment. Then the garden had appeared  
different, but he hadn't taken to time to appreciate the differences in  
the entire world, let alone the garden. What had he cared? Nothing  
mattered anyway. Now, things mattered. The garden was beautiful with the  
sun slowly rising to the center of the sky, dancing off its iridescent  
flowers and creating collages of light tricks on the palace walls. Maybe  
this beauty would never really change the world, but one thing was true;  
it _was_ beautiful. He now understood how important it was to notice  
the beauty in the world, even when it seemed impossible, because beauty is  
easy to find; one just has to know where to look. He finally understood.  
"I can't believe it's even the same garden," he started. "I saw this  
garden everyday, but I never _saw_ it."

Jasmine chuckled and patted him softly as he sat on the fountain next  
to her. The sights before them were the same as they had been ages before,  
before either of them had ever set foot on this earth. Somehow today,  
everything seemed different, right. It had been that way all along, but  
sometimes the pain in one's heart can cause one to miss all the things  
that make life glorious. "Jasmine, I guess," he stopped, struggling with  
what to say next, "I guess I just want to thank you... and Aladdin."

She couldn't believe it! Had Iago just thanked them? Thanked them  
without expecting anything in return? "For - for what?" she stuttered.

"For making things glorious," he said with simple happiness in his  
voice.

"Glorious?" Jasmine asked.

"Well," Iago explained, "not glorious in the way Reena described it,  
but glorious none the less."

"I'm not following you, Iago..."

"Glorious isn't not having problems or sadness. Glorious isn't  
perfection in the past, present, or future. What glorious is," Iago  
stopped and smiled to himself, feeling more complete than he ever had  
before and realizing he was blessed to finally be able to say these words  
and truly mean it, "what glorious is... is hope and forgiveness and  
realizing that you were wrong all along. Glorious is loving what you have  
now, forgiving yourself for what you've done in the past, and hoping for  
better days in the future, although I doubt things could be much better  
than they are right now."

"Iago," Jasmine gasped, "that is the truest thing I've ever heard."

Iago couldn't stop smiling. "Don't tell anyone this, but it's the  
truest thing I've ever said." _Thank you, Aladdin... thank you for this  
new beginning._

_Glorious is...  
Loving what you have now,  
Forgiving yourself for what you've done in the past,  
And hoping for better days in the future...  
Glorious._

~The End~


End file.
